Hurricane center tracks 3 systems with tropical development potential

ORLANDO, Fla. — As the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season begins to pick up steam, the National Hurricane Center continues to track three systems among the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico with a chance to develop into the season’s next tropical depression or storm.

The closest to the U.S. is a broad area of low pressure in the Gulf of Mexico near the upper Texas and Louisiana coasts that is producing some disorganized showers and thunderstorms.

“This system is expected to linger near the coast through much of next week, and some slow development is possible if it meanders offshore,” forecasters said. “Regardless of development, heavy rains could cause some flash flooding across portions of coastal Louisiana and the upper Texas coast during the next few days.”

The NHC gives it a 10% chance to develop in the next two days and 20% in the next seven.

Approaching the Caribbean’s Lesser Antilles is a tropical wave several hundred miles east of the Leeward and Windward Islands with disorganized showers and thunderstorms.

“The disturbance is forecast to move westward and reach the Lesser Antilles on Monday,” forecasters said. “Thereafter, environmental conditions appear conducive for gradual development of this system, and a tropical depression could form while it continues moving westward across the Caribbean Sea through the middle to latter part of the week.”

The NHC upped its chances since Friday for development to 50% in the next seven days.

Farther east in the Atlantic is a second tropical wave that is just west of the Cape Verde Islands producing disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity.

“Development, if any, should be slow to occur while the system moves slowly westward to west-northwestward over the eastern and central tropical Atlantic through late next week,” forecasters said,

The NHC gives it a 10% chance to develop in the next seven days.

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has churned out five named storms so far. The next names on the list are Francine, Gordon and Helene.

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

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.