Forecasters Track Potential Tropical System

Forecasters continue to watch for possible development of low pressure over the northwestern Caribbean Sea.

The National Hurricane Center says the system has a medium -- or 50 percent -- chance of becoming a tropical depression next week as it moves slowly north or northwest toward the southern Gulf of Mexico.

Forecast models take it into the Gulf, but its track remains uncertain after that.

Forecasters are also tracking two other areas of low pressure in the central and western Atlantic, giving each a 10 percent chance of development over the next week.

Here's the NHC's Friday afternoon tropical weather outlook.

Northwestern Caribbean Sea and Southern Gulf of Mexico:

A broad area of low pressure could form by the early to middle part of next week over the northwestern Caribbean Sea. Thereafter, gradual development of this system is possible, and a tropical depression could form as the system moves slowly to the north or northwest over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and into the southern Gulf of Mexico through the end of next week.

  • Formation chance through 48 hours...low...near 0 percent.
  • Formation chance through 7 days...medium...50 percent.

Central Subtropical Atlantic (Remnants of Gordon):

Showers and thunderstorms have been displaced farther away from the center of an area of low pressure (the remnants of Gordon) located over a thousand miles southwest of the Azores due to strong upper-level winds. Significant development of this system is not expected while it meanders over the central subtropical Atlantic during the next couple of days.

  • Formation chance through 48 hours...low...10 percent.
  • Formation chance through 7 days...low...10 percent.

Central and Western Subtropical Atlantic (AL96):

An area of low pressure located about 650 miles northeast of the northern Leeward Islands is producing disorganized showers and a few thunderstorms. Environmental conditions do not appear conducive for significant development of this system during the next couple of days while it drifts northwestward at about 5 mph over the central or western subtropical Atlantic.

  • Formation chance through 48 hours...low...10 percent.
  • Formation chance through 7 days...low...10 percent.

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