FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. _ The National Hurricane Center is watching two tropical disturbances in the Atlantic Ocean.
Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center are keeping an eye on two tropical waves in the Atlantic Ocean, both weak for now but heading in the direction of Florida.
And the one farthest away is now being given a 40% chance of developing into a tropical cyclone over the next five days.
The closer disturbance, in the Caribbean, was producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms over Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands as of the Miami-based hurricane center's 8 p.m. EDT advisory Tuesday.
Though forecasters give it just a 10% chance of strengthening into a tropical cyclone over the next five days, conditions could become slightly more favorable for development by the weekend when the disturbance approaches the coast of South Florida. It's a reminder to not wait until the last minute for hurricane preparation.
"This system is forecast to move west-northwestward to northwestward during the next several days, producing locally heavy rainfall over portions of the northern Caribbean and the Bahamas," National Hurricane Center forecaster David Zelinsky wrote in the 8 p.m. advisory. "Conditions could become marginally conducive for development late this week when the disturbance moves near Florida and the northwestern Bahamas."
Meanwhile, a new tropical wave has emerged off the west coast of Africa, producing a broad area of showers. It's being given a 40% chance of developing into a tropical cyclone over the next five days. The hurricane center shows the path of that system moving toward the eastern Caribbean islands including Antigua and Puerto Rico.
"Upper-level winds could become more conducive for development by the weekend while the wave continues westward across the central Atlantic," Zelinsky wrote.
The next system to develop into a tropical cyclone will be named Chantal, the third named storm of the 2019 hurricane season.
Hurricane season runs June 1 through Nov. 30.
