TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The National Hurricane Center continues to monitor a number of systems in the Atlantic this week, the statistical peak of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.
A new disturbance, located a couple hundred miles northeast of the Central Bahamas, has a 30% chance of developing into a depression or storm over the next five days and could impact Florida.
Here’s what we’re tracking in the tropics:
Tropical Storm Paulette
Tropical Storm Paulette formed Monday over the central tropical Atlantic.
The storm is expected to weaken before restrengthening over the weekend.
Paulette had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday. It was about 935 miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands and moving slowly west-northwestward over the central Atlantic. The storm is expected to continue moving in that direction until a turn toward the northwest Friday night.
Tropical Storm Rene
Rene initially strengthened to a tropical storm on Monday then weakened to become a depression again early Wednesday morning. But just a few hours later, the NHC said the system had restrengthened to become Tropical Storm Rene again.
Rene was about 800 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands at 11 a.m. ET with 50 mph maximum sustained winds. The NHC says Rene is expected to strengthen and become a hurricane by Saturday.
Rene is moving west-northwest at about 10 mph. The NHC says the storm is expected to continue in that direction for the next couple days before turning to the northwest.
Areas of low pressure
In addition to the two tropical storms, there are also three areas being monitored that could potentially develop.
The first is an area of low pressure that’s producing showers and thunderstorm activity a couple hundred miles northeast of the Central Bahamas. The system is expected to move west, crossing the Bahamas and Florida on Friday before it moves into the eastern Gulf of Mexico this weekend.
The system has a 30% chance of development over the next five days.
Another area of low pressure is producing minimal shower and thunderstorm activity off the coast of North Carolina. The system is forecast to move inland but significant development is not expected.
Another trough of low pressure developed over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico and is producing a few disorganized showers and thunderstorms. The storm has a 20% chance of developing as it moves westward and southwestward over the Gulf of Mexico early next week.
Tropical wave
The NHC is also tracking two tropical waves.
The first is moving off the west coast of Africa and producing a large area of showers and thunderstorms. Once the wave moves over water, gradual development is expected. Forecasters say a tropical depression is likely to form later this week or over the weekend as the system moves west over the Atlantic.
The wave has a medium 60 percent chance of formation in the next 48 hours and a high 90 percent chance of formation in the next five days.
The second wave is expected to emerge off the west coast of Africa this weekend. NHC forecasters believe the environmental conditions will be favorable for development. A tropical depression could form over the far eastern tropical Atlantic early next week as the system moves west slowly.
Tracking the Tropics is keeping you updated, informed and safe this hurricane season. Watch live weather updates with some of the nation’s top meteorologists every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET.
