NHC: Tropical wave moving into Gulf of Mexico could turn into tropical depression or storm

ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Hurricane Center increased the chances a tropical wave moving into the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday could develop into the season’s next tropical depression or storm.
As of the NHC’s 8 p.m. forecast, the system was over the Bay of Campeche with disorganized showers and thunderstorms but expected to interact with an area of low pressure’s front boundary in the next several days.
“Environmental conditions are forecast to be conducive for development, and a tropical depression is likely to form during the early or middle part of next week while the system moves generally northward near or along the Mexican and Texas Gulf coastline,” forecasters said. “Interests along the western Gulf of Mexico coast should closely monitor the progress of this system.”
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The NHC gives it a 60% chance to develop in the next two days and 80% in the next seven.
The NHC also was tracking an area of low pressure in the central tropical Atlantic producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms.
“Shower and thunderstorm activity associated with an area of low pressure over the central tropical Atlantic has begun to show signs of organization,” forecasters said. “Gradual additional development is possible, and a tropical depression could form while the system meanders over the central tropical Atlantic through Monday and then moves generally westward at about 10 mph through the rest of next week.”
The NHC gives it a 30% chance to develop in the next two days and 50% in the next seven.
And finally, the NHC was looking at an elongated trough of low pressure stretched out over the eastern and central Atlantic with a broad area of shower and thunderstorm activity several hundred miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands.
“Environmental conditions are expected to be favorable for gradual development of this system, and a tropical depression could form by the middle or late portions of next week,” forecasters said. The system is expected to begin moving slowly westward by the end of the week.
The NHC gives it a 40% chance to develop in the next seven days.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has had five named storms so far, but none since Hurricane Ernesto first formed on Aug. 12.
The next named storm could be Tropical Storm Francine.
The hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 with the climatologic peak on Sept. 10.
By RICHARD TRIBOU Orlando Sentinel