Forecasters watching 2 areas with potential for tropical development

Forecasters on Tuesday were monitoring two areas with potential to develop into the next tropical depression or storm.

In an 8 p.m. tropical weather outlook, the National Hurricane Center said an area of low pressure could form this weekend over the northwestern Caribbean Sea.

“Thereafter, some slow development of this system is possible through early next week while the system moves slowly to the north or northwest over the northwestern Caribbean Sea,” forecasters wrote.

The hurricane center gave it a 20% chance to develop over the next seven days.

Meanwhile, forecasters were still tracking the remnants of Tropical Depression Gordon in the central subtropical Atlantic. The system was producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms and was expected to interact with a nontropical low to its north over the next couple of days.

“Environmental conditions could become more conducive for development later this week, and a tropical depression or storm could re-form in a few days while the system moves slowly northward over the central subtropical Atlantic,” forecasters wrote.

The hurricane center gave it a 30% chance to develop in the next two days and a 60% chance of doing so in the next week. It does not pose a threat to land.

Forecasters at Colorado State University still expect 2024 to be an “extremely active” hurricane season with 23 named storms, of which 12 will become hurricanes and six will reach major hurricane strength with sustained winds of 111 mph or higher.

The season has so far produced four hurricanes and three tropical storms. The next names on the list are Helene and Isaac.

The season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

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