ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Hurricane Center continues to track Tropical Storm Gordon and another system expected to form this weekend off the southeastern U.S. coastline.

As of the NHC’s 5 p.m. advisory, the center of Gordon is about 1,275 miles west-northwest of the Cape Verde Islands with maximum sustained wind speeds of 45 mph and higher gusts as it moves west at 9 mph.

“A slightly slower westward or west-southwestward motion is forecast during the next several days.” forecasters said. “Gordon is forecast to weaken tonight and become a tropical depression on Sunday.”

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles to the north of the center. The system is not a threat to land.

The NHC is also tracking a system with a chance of forming into a tropical cyclone a few hundred miles off the southeastern U.S. coastline. The system could gradually acquire subtropical or tropical characteristics thereafter over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream.

A subtropical or tropical depression or storm could form early next week as the system moves generally northwestward toward the coast.

The NHC gives the system a 50% chance of developing in the next two to seven days.

If it forms it could become Tropical Storm Helene, adding to the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season that has produced seven systems so far including four hurricanes and three tropical storms.

The season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

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