(This story was updated to add new information.)
The National Hurricane Center in Miami is busy tracking multiple systems in the Atlantic basin .
Experts issued its last advisory on Joyce early Tuesday, and although Tropical Storm Kirk was forecast to strengthen into a hurricane on Tuesday, there were no hazards affecting land, according to the hurricane center’s 11 a.m. advisory. Also, there were no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
The biggest concern to Florida and the U.S. is a disturbance in the Caribbean Sea, which could become a tropical depression later this week or over the weekend .
Forecasters are advising residents along the Gulf Coast to closely monitor the system.
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The next names of the season are Leslie and Milton.
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- Location : 1,010 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands
- Maximum sustained winds : 70 mph
- Movement : west-northwest at 13 mph
At 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, the center of Tropical Storm Kirk was moving toward the west-northwest near 13 mph, and this motion was expected to continue with a gradual turn more northwestward over the next several days.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 70 mph with higher gusts. Additional strengthening is anticipated and Kirk should become a hurricane by tonight, and a major hurricane in a couple of days.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 195 miles from the center. A PIRATA Buoy (13008) earlier this morning measured a sustained wind of 40 mph, and a gust to 51 mph
What else is out there and how likely are they to strengthen?
Eastern Tropical Atlantic (AL91): Showers and thunderstorms continue to show signs organization in association with a broad area of low pressure located a few hundred miles south-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. Environmental conditions appear conducive for further development of this system, and a tropical depression is expected to form during the next couple of days while it moves slowly westward over the eastern tropical Atlantic.
- Formation chance through 48 hours is high at 80 percent.
- Formation chance through 7 days is high at 90 percent.
Northwest Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico: Disorganized showers and thunderstorms located over the southwestern Caribbean Sea are associated with a trough of low pressure. Environmental conditions could support some gradual development of this system, and a tropical depression could form towards the end of this week or this weekend while it moves generally northwestward over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and into the Gulf of Mexico. Interests along the U.S. Gulf Coast should continue to monitor the progress of this system.
- Formation chance through 48 hours is low at 10 percent.
- Formation chance through 7 days is medium at 40 percent.
What do the colored areas on the NOAA map mean?
The hatched areas on a tropical outlook map indicate "areas where a tropical cyclone — which could be a tropical depression, tropical storm or hurricane — could develop," said National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Jamie Rhome.
The colors make it visibly clear how likely a system could develop with yellow being low, orange medium and red high.
The National Hurricane Center generally doesn't issue tropical advisories until there is a named storm, but there is an exception.
"If a system is near land and there is potential for development, the National Hurricane Center won't wait before it issues advisories, even if the system hasn't become an actual storm. This gives residents time to prepare," Rhome said.
Who is likely to be impacted?
Tropical Storm Kirk isn't expected to affect Florida or the U.S.
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When is hurricane season over?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
National Hurricane Center map: What are forecasters watching now?
Systems currently being monitored by the National Hurricane Center include:
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What's next?
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Contributing: Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY Network-Florida
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: National Hurricane Center tracking tropical wave in Atlantic, Tropical Storm Kirk
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