ORLANDO, Fla. _ After a weak system with low odds of development in the Atlantic officially dissipated Thursday afternoon, it appears the tropics will be quiet over the next couple of days, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The small area of low pressure produced disorganized showers and thunderstorms as it moved southwest toward the Bahamas at 2 a.m. Eastern time Thursday. Its odds for development dropped significantly throughout the week as dry and upper-level wind shear lay in its path and prevented it from strengthening.
If it had developed, it would have become the 10th named storm of the year receiving the name Josephine.
The NHC said it doesn't anticipate new tropical developments over the weekend.
"Thankfully, the Atlantic is expected to be quiet through the weekend. This is the first time with no system in the outlook since July 18 _ a busy few weeks. ..." the National Hurricane Center tweeted Thursday.
But experts also warned Thursday that more storms are brewing.
Warm waters and atmospheric trends are leading the way for an "extremely active" hurricane season, according to updated predictions from two tropical weather authorities, both of which adjusted up their initial 2020 storm estimates made before June 1, the official start of the season.
The 2020 hurricane season already has seen seven tropical storms: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, plus hurricanes Hanna, which hit Texas last month, and Isaias. The next named storms would be Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred.
