The National Hurricane Center continued to track the possibility of a tropical depression forming into the Gulf of Mexico this week.
It’s the last thing that those in the Southeast want to hear in the wake of devastating Hurricane Helene. It’s too soon to say if there will be anything to worry about — and where it could go.
The hurricane center put the probability of a tropical depression forming in the next week at 40 percent on Monday morning. That’s down from 50 percent earlier today.
The hurricane center also had several other storms in the central and eastern Atlantic on its hands on Monday, including Tropical Storm Isaac, Tropical Depression Joyce and Tropical Depression 12. None was a threat to the U.S., or any land area in general. However, forecasters think Tropical Depression 12 could become a powerful hurricane this week.
The Caribbean system was of the most concern to those in the U.S.
A broad area of low pressure was being watched over the western Caribbean on Monday. It is expected to track to the west-northwest and could organize into a tropical depression later this week.
The hurricane center isn’t at the point of issuing advisories or forecast tracks yet, but suggested the disturbance could move toward the central Gulf of Mexico by the end of the forecast period.
Forecasters said those along the U.S. Gulf Coast should keep an eye on this system this week. However, they added that “the timetable for potential development has shifted later toward late week or this weekend.”
The National Weather Service in Tallahassee, which covers southeast Alabama and is in recovery mode from Hurricane Helene, was watching the disturbance on Monday. Forecasters said the disturbance’s path is very uncertain, since it hasn’t formed yet “but trends show a generally slow drift to the Gulf Coast. Regardless of development, folks should monitor this system’s progress, while expecting an uptick in rain chances as associated moisture overspreads parts of the region beginning late this week.”
OTHER STORMS IN THE ATLANTIC
Elsewhere in the Atlantic, the hurricane center was also watching Tropical Storm Isaac, which was once a Category 2 hurricane but was weakening in the northern Atlantic as it tracked eastward. Isaac has never directly affected land.
Much farther to the south was Tropical Depression Joyce, which peaked as a tropical storm in the central Atlantic and is expected to become a remnant low today.
On the flip side, Tropical Depression 12, which was located several hundred miles to the southeast of Joyce, is expected to strengthen. The hurricane center said it could become a large major hurricane later this week. It is expected to stay in the open Atlantic this week and not threaten land.
It will most likely get the next name on the 2024 storm list, Kirk.
Finally, forecasters were tracking a disturbance located between the Cabo Verde Islands and the west coast of Africa. It could organize into a tropical depression late this week and will track west-northwest over the open Atlantic. It will not threaten land this week.
The Atlantic hurricane season is typically busy in October and will end on Nov. 30.
