NHC predicts a tropical wave may become a depression. Will Texas be impacted?
A tropical wave near the Leeward Islands has a medium chance for development this week, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center. Will it impact Texas?
Here's what we know.
Storm developing in the Atlantic
An area of disturbed weather over the central tropical Atlantic Ocean is expected to interact with an approaching tropical wave during the next couple of days.
Environmental conditions are forecast to become conducive for some development thereafter, and a tropical depression could form later this week while the system is in the vicinity of the Greater Antilles or the Bahamas.
Formation chance through 48 hours: low, near 0 percent.
Formation chance through 7 days: medium, 50 percent.
Tropical update for Texas
The developing storm has the potential to impact the Gulf of Mexico, but it is too early to predict if and how it will affect Texas. As of Monday morning, no tropical advisories had been issued for Texas.
Florida is more likely to be impacted by the storm. The National Hurricane Center is closely monitoring the storm and will provide updates.
Will the disturbance become Tropical Storm Debby?
If the system does strengthen, the next named storm of the season will be Debby.
Earlier this month, Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 4 and Category 5 hurricane on record before making landfall as a Category 1 storm near Matagorda, Texas.
NHC warns of a more active hurricane season
Forecasters urge all residents to continue monitoring the tropics and to always be prepared. They warned earlier this year that it's likely oceans will fully transition into La Niña by fall, bringing with her an 'above-normal' hurricane season in Texas.
La Niña − "little girl" in Spanish − is the climate phenomenon that describes when the surface temperatures of the Pacific Ocean near the equator are lower than the long-term average. El Niño – "little boy" in Spanish, her brother – is a climate phenomenon that results from those waters being warmer than usual.
The lower surface temperatures could mean warmer, drier weather throughout the southern region of the U.S. and the potential for a "hyperactive" hurricane season in the Atlantic basin this year. Forecasters expect as many as 33 names storms this year; an average year sees 14 storms.
More on La Niña: La Niña could mean an active hurricane season. Here's what it means for Texas this summer
Watches and warnings issued for Texas
— USA TODAY reporter Cheryl McCloud contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: NHC tracking tropical wave in the Atlantic, may become depression
