ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Hurricane Center is keeping its eye on a system in the Caribbean with high chances to become the season’s next tropical depression.
As of 5 p.m. Sunday, the NHC issued advisories on the potential tropical cyclone fifteen that is currently located over the central Caribbean Sea. A tropical storm watch was issued for Jamaica and the Grand Cayman Island.
Tropical storm conditions are possible starting late Monday for Jamaica and Tuesday for Grand Cayman Island.
The system is moving west-northwest at 10 miles per hour with maximum sustained winds near 40 miles per hour. Forecasters expect the system to become a tropical storm Sunday night and say it could reach near hurricane intensity by Tuesday night.
“Interests along the coast of Central America, especially near Belize, should monitor the progress of this system,” forecasters said.
In earlier forecasts the NHC said the broad area of low pressure was producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms in the eastern Caribbean, and will produce heavy rainfall over the weekend over portions of the Lesser Antilles, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
The NHC gives the system a 90% chance to form in the next two days, and 90% chance of formation in the next five days.
The NHC is also tracking a low pressure area about 100 miles west-northwest of Bermuda producing some shower and thunderstorm activity, but it’s merging with a nearby frontal zone as upper-level winds increase and forecaster no longer anticipate a tropical or subtropical development.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs through Nov. 30. The season has produced 12 named systems including Hurricane Ian that struck Florida last month.
The next named storm would be Tropical Storm Lisa.
———
