The National Hurricane Center began tracking a system Monday that could develop into the season’s next tropical depression or storm.

As of the NHC’s 8 p.m. tropical outlook, the forecast calls for an area of low pressure to form in the central tropical Atlantic in a few days.

“Thereafter, environmental conditions appear generally favorable for some slow development of this system by 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 just outside the Caribbean’s Leeward Islands.

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 calls 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.

_____

©2024 Orlando Sentinel. Visit orlandosentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.