Two tropical systems being monitored by the National Hurricane Center are forecast to enter the Gulf of Mexico in the next week, with both expected to intensify into tropical depressions.
One area of low pressure, located in the Atlantic about 1,000 miles east of the Winward Islands, was producing a concentrated area of showers and thunderstorms Wednesday on the west side of the disturbance, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The system is moving west-northwest at 15 to 20 mph across the central and western portions of the Atlantic. Conditions are favorable for it to develop and a tropical depression is expected in the next day or two, with a 90% chance of developing in the next two days.
A second system, located over the eastern Caribbean Sea, was producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms, along with gusty winds, according to the hurricane center. While the storm moves west at about 15 to 20 mph, some gradual development is expected. It has a 40% chance of developing into a tropical storm in the next two days.
After that, the tropical wave is forecast to move more slowly and will likely form into a tropical depression, with an 80% chance of developing in the next five days. That is expected to happen late this week or weekend when it reaches the northwestern Caribbean Sea.
Early modeling shows both systems likely will move into the Gulf of Mexico.
“We’ve been talking about how both of these waves have the possibility of reaching the Gulf of Mexico,” said KLFY meteorologist Chris Cozart. “All this is dependent on if these are really able to develop and form together. We have yet to have anything develop so models are going to be a little uncertain.”
Track the storms:Use this interactive storm tracker
The next named storms of the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane season would be Laura and Marco.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration earlier this month revised its forecast calling for an “extremely active” season with 19-25 named storms.
