ORLANDO, Fla. _ Tropical Storm Kyle and Josephine are officially last week's news, but the National Hurricane Center is now tracking two more tropical waves with a chance to develop into the next tropical depression or tropical storm.
Both waves are located in the Atlantic but forecast to move into the Caribbean Sea in the next five days during which chances are good for tropical formation.
The closer of the two is located about 400 miles east of the Windward Islands with disorganized rain and thunderstorms, expected to move west at about 20 mph, a relatively fast forward speed that will limit development, the NHC said in its 2 a.m. update Monday.
It is expect to move over the Windward and southern Leeward Islands today and then slow down as it progressed into the Caribbean Sea.
"Upper-level winds could become more conducive for the development of a tropical depression during the latter part of this week," forecasters said.
The NHC gives that system a 20% chance of formation in the next two days, but a 50% chance within the next five days.
Similar chances are in play for a second tropical wave farther east in the Atlantic.
Located south-southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands, the wave has produced a large area of disorganized showers, forecast to move west to west-northwest at 15 to 20 mph in the next few days.
The NHC gives that system a 10% chance of formation in the next two days, but a 60% chance within 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.
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.
