Another tropical storm could be about to form in the Central Atlantic Ocean this week and could threaten Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic, the National Hurricane Center.
What until Tuesday is just a low pressure system and has been designated as Invest 94L, is located halfway between the islands of Cape Verde and the Lesser Antilles, and if it becomes a tropical storm it would receive the name Nadine.
In a statement released Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. ET, the agency said the “area of low pressure over the central tropical Atlantic is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. This system is expected to move generally towards the west. Environmental conditions appear marginally conducive to its gradual development mid to late this week.”
Satellite photo of the two systemsNational Hurricane Center
The National Hurricane Center added that “a tropical depression could form when the system begins to move west-northwest and approaches or moves near the Leeward Islands later this week.”
This low pressure system has a 30% chance of forming in the next 48 hours and a 50% chance of forming in the next seven days.
The agency has indicated that there is a possibility that on Wednesday or Thursday, when the system moves over warmer waters, it could develop. That means a tropical depression forming on Wednesday and then a tropical storm on Thursday, which would be named Nadine.
[Azote de huracán Helene provoca escasez de fluidos intravenosos generando suspensión de cirugías]
Although the system faces sharp wind currents, which will prevent it from organizing quickly, it is possible to strengthen as it moves westwardwhen it passes near or north of the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico on Friday.
From that point, forecast models indicate that some strengthening could occur over the weekend as it heads toward the island of Hispaniola.
Meteorologists have not ruled out that it could become a hurricane, although a cold front moving towards the southeast could weaken it and prevent it from entering the Gulf of Mexico.
Forecasters have also been tracking another system in the western Caribbean.
“Showers and storms in the southwestern Caribbean Sea are associated with a broad area of low pressure. Gradual development is possible if the system remains over water while moving slowly northwestward towards Central America. Regardless of the development [que tenga]”Locally heavy rainfall is possible across portions of Central America later this week,” the NHC reported.
[Arrestan a un hombre por presuntamente amenazar a trabajadores de FEMA]
In this case, the probabilities of formation are low: 10% in the next 48 hours and 20% in the next seven days.
It does not seem likely that either storm, if formed, endanger the continental United States.
However, the NHC recommendation is that the territories of Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and the southeastern portion of the Bahamas closely monitor their development.
The current hurricane season has produced 32% more Accumulated Cyclonic Energy (ACE, an indicator that measures the energy storms use to create strong winds) than average for this time of year.
In this season, the United States has been hit by five hurricanes to date: Beryl, Debby, Francine, Helene and Milton. Two of them made landfall as Category 3 or higher hurricanes.
Hurricane season officially ends on November 30.
With information from The Washington Post
