Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf ramp up to 5 tropical disturbances. What the forecasts show
The Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and now Gulf of Mexico are crowded with possible storm activity as a fifth tropical system is being closely watched by forecasters Thursday afternoon.
One is shuffling along the northeastern U.S. coast; another will cause rains in Texas. The quintet of activity, however, has low chances of strengthening anytime soon. It’s not clear whether Florida will be impacted.
The group of disturbances joins a growing list of weather activity in the last month that may have had the capability of forming into a depression or tropical storm before eventually dying off. The lack of a named storm in the Atlantic between August 12 and September 3 marks the quietest those waters have been since 1968.
READ MORE: Curiously quiet Atlantic has hurricane scientists scratching their heads. ‘A mystery.’
The absence of activity has puzzled weather experts as the 2024 hurricane season was forecast to be busy with numerous potentially life-threatening storms.
Here’s what the National Hurricane Center is watching in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico:
Disturbance 1
The Louisiana and Texas coasts are forecast to see heavy rainfall from a broad area of low pressure over the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. The hurricane center does not expect a tropical cyclone to form as weather conditions stifle the system by late Friday and Saturday.
It only has a 10% chance of strengthening in the next two to seven days.
Disturbance 2
A few hundred miles east of North Carolina, a non-tropical area of low pressure is creating rain showers and thunderstorms. Forecasters say it could gain some subtropical features over the next few days as it moves north-northeast staying offshore of the northeast U.S.
It has a 30% chance of strengthening in the next two to seven days.
Disturbance 3
A tropical wave is moving over the west Caribbean Sea. It is not expected to strengthen into a tropical depression before it reaches Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula by early Friday. It could see some gradual development is possible late in the weekend into early next week as it emerges into the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.
It only has a 20% chance of strengthening in the next two to seven days.
Disturbance 4
The next system is a elongated trough of low pressure near Africa in the open Atlantic. Forecasters also said development is not expected through this weekend as it barely moves. Some development may occur early next week as it slowly moves northwest.
It has a 10% chance of strengthening in the next seven days, and no chance in the next two days.
Disturbance 5
Another tropical wave is churning a few hundred miles east of Leeward Islands. Strong winds are expected to inhibit this system over the next few days as it moves west-northwest at 10 to 15 mph.
It has no chance of strengthening in the next two to seven days.
