ORLANDO, Fla. — A developing system in the Atlantic could make its way to the Caribbean as the season’s next tropical depression or storm, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of the NHC’s 8 a.m. tropical outlook Tuesday, the forecast calls for an area of low pressure to form in the central tropical Atlantic in a few days. It began forecasting the system’s potential on Monday night.

“Thereafter, environmental conditions appear generally favorable for some slow development of this system this weekend into early next week as it moves westward to west-northwestward at 10 to 15 mph.,” forecasters said.

The NHC gives it a 20% chance to form in the next seven days.

If it were to gain named status, it could become Tropical Storm Francine.

The long-range forecast now puts the system over Caribbean’s Leeward Islands by early next week.

That’s a similar spot to where Tropical Storm Ernesto moved through before growing into a hurricane.

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has so far produced three hurricanes among five named storms.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s upgraded forecast issued earlier this month calls for 17-24 named storms, of which 8-13 could become hurricanes, with 4-7 that could develop into major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher.

The season has had only one major hurricane when Beryl became the earliest in recorded history to form into a Category 5 hurricane back in June.

Florida was hit in early August by Category 1 Hurricane Debby that passed over the Big Bend region of the state.

Hurricane season runs from June 1-Nov. 30.

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