ORLANDO, Fla. _ The Atlantic is getting more crowded as three systems were observed moving west Wednesday morning toward the Caribbean; two of them with high chances of developing into the next tropical depression or tropical storm.
First, an elongated area of pressure has a 90% chance of developing in the next two to five days, the NHC said in its 8 a.m. update Wednesday. The system, moving between 15 and 20 mph, is about 1,000 miles east of the Windward Islands. The area of pressure continues to produce concentrated thunderstorms.
Meteorologists expect significant development for the system and forecast it to be a tropical depression in the next two days as it passes through a stimulating environment.
Storm models project the storm to pass through or around Florida next week, but FOX 35 meteorologist Glenn Richards says its still too early to hit the panic button.
"It's still just way too far out," Richards said. "We're looking eight days ahead of things right now. Things are going to change, there are just too many factors. You know? It could be a hurricane potentially near Florida next week, or it could be a blob of clouds. Our antennae are up, but it's not time to panic."
Second, a tropical wave in the east Caribbean Sea is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms with gusty winds. The system is moving at a quick pace of 20 mph making development for the system difficult and unlikely within the next two days. However, the wave is forecast to slow down and tropical depression formation is likely when it reaches the northwestern Caribbean Sea. The wave has a 60% chance of forming in the next two days, and an 80% chance of doing so within the next five days.
Lastly, a large area of showers and thunderstorms over Guinea is associated with a "vigorous tropical wave." Conditions for the wave's development are looking favorable after the wave moves off the African continent and into the Atlantic on Friday. But conditions for development take a drop in a less favorable direction as it gains speed toward the central tropical Atlantic. It has a 20% chance of developing in the next five days.
If either storm forms, it could become Tropical Depression 13 or if it spins up to tropical-storm-force strength with sustained winds of 39 mph, it would be named Tropical Storm Laura, the 12th named storm of the 2020 hurricane season, which runs through Nov. 30.
Forecasters early Wednesday also identified a disturbance over Guinea, Africa, that has a 30% chance of formation over five days.
Last week, meteorologists were tracking Tropical Storm Josephine and Tropical Storm Kyle; the tenth and eleventh storms of the 2020 season. Both were unusual developments as the tenth storm of previous hurricane seasons is usually observed halfway into October.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its hurricane forecast for the 2020 season predicting an extremely active season with about 19 to 25 named storms.
The 2020 hurricane season already has seen seven tropical storms: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Josephine and Kyle plus Hurricane Hanna and Hurricane Isaias as well as a tropical depression that did not grow into named storm strength.
