Hurricane center tracks tropical depression, 2 more systems

ORLANDO, Fla. — The remnants of what had been Hurricane Francine spread out over the Tennessee Valley on Friday, but the National Hurricane Center was still tracking Tropical Depression Seven and two more systems that could develop.

As of the NHC’s 5 a.m. advisory, the center of TD7 was located 955 miles west-northwest of the Cape Verde Islands with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph as it moved west-northwest at 14 mph.

“A turn toward the west is forecast by tonight, with the system gradually slowing down through the weekend,” forecasters said. “The depression could become a tropical storm later today, however little change in strength overall is anticipated through the weekend.”

If it does develop, it could become Tropical Storm Gordon.

It is no threat to land.

In the NHC’s 8 a.m. tropical outlook, it was still tracking a system near the Caribbean and one off the coast of the southeast United States.

Close to the northern Leeward Islands was a small area of low pressure continuing to produce showers and thunderstorms, but not very organized.

“Environmental conditions, including the proximity of dry air, do not favor development of this system while it moves west-northwestward at about 15 mph,” forecasters said. “Regardless of development, locally heavy rainfall and gusty winds are possible across the northern Leeward Islands today.”

The NHC gave the system a 20% chance to develop in the next two to seven days.

To the north in the Atlantic, the NHC forecasts a nontropical area of low pressure to form along a frontal boundary a few hundred miles off the southeastern U.S. coastline this weekend.

“Thereafter, some subtropical or tropical development is possible during the early part of next week while the system moves generally northwestward toward the coast,” forecasters said.

The NHC gave it a 30% chance to develop in the next seven days.

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has produced seven systems including four hurricanes, two tropical storms and a tropical depression.

The season runs from June 1-Nov. 30.