Hurricane center tracks 2 Atlantic systems with chance to form
The National Hurricane Center began tracking two systems in the Atlantic with a chance to form into the season’s next tropical depression or storm.
In the NHC’s 8 p.m. tropical outlook Sunday, it forecast two systems with a chance for development, one in the eastern tropical Atlantic and one in the central tropical Atlantic.
The eastern tropical Atlantic system is expected to grow between the Cape Verde Islands and the west coast of Africa.
“Some slow development of this system is possible later this week as it moves slowly west-northwestward or northwestward across the eastern Atlantic,” forecasters said.
The NHC gives it a 20% chance to develop in the next seven days.
A second low pressure system could develop in the middle to latter portion of the week in the east-central tropical Atlantic several hundred miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands, the NHC said.
“Some slow development of this system is also possible as it moves west-northwestward over the central tropical Atlantic,” forecasters stated.
The NHC also gave it a 20% chance to develop in the next seven days.
If either system were to spin up into a named storm, it could become Tropical Storm Emily.
The hurricane season runs from June 1-Nov. 30, but the traditional height of the hurricane season runs from mid-August into mid-October with September 10 identified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration as the peak of the season.
The NOAA last week increased its prediction that the 2023 season will be “above-normal” from what had been 30% to 60% citing the record-breaking sea surface temperatures of the Atlantic basin and noting the expected effects of the El Niño weather pattern had not brought the wind shear that could thwart tropical production.
The NHC has also shifted its prediction now calling for 14-21 named storms, of which 6-11 would grow to hurricane strength, and two to five of those becomgin major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher.
So far the season has had three named storms, with just one Category 1 hurricane.
