Storm activity increases for tropical disturbance swirling in Atlantic; 2 other areas now monitored

As expected, the tropics have been heating up as we inch closer to the busier part of the hurricane season. 

Now, the National Hurricane Center is monitoring three areas of tropical development in the Atlantic Ocean on Friday, including returning to monitor an area of tropical moisture just off the Florida coast.

That disturbance had captured the attention of the NHC earlier this week, when it had been given low chances of development. Those chances dropped to zero on Wednesday, and the storm dropped off their forecast chart. 

The NHC has reposted the storm Friday morning, noting that while further development chances remain at 0%, the tropically-infused storm will bring locally heavy rainfall over northeastern Florida, eastern Georgia and eastern South Carolina over the next day.

Development chances increase for disturbance swirling in open Atlantic Ocean

Meanwhile, a tropical disturbance far out in the Atlantic has again seen an increase in chances of developing into at least a tropical depression. 

Shower activity has increased since Thursday in association with the tropical wave located almost midway between the Cabo Verde Islands and the Lesser Antilles.  

Environmental conditions are expected to be favorable for gradual development of this system in a few days, the National Hurricane Center said.

A tropical depression could form early next week while the system moves generally west-northwestward over the tropical Atlantic Ocean.

The storm is moving toward the prime hurricane belt but has a mass of dry air ahead of it, according to FOX Weather Hurricane Specialst Bryan Norcross. 

There is a 20% chance of development over the next two days. The NHC currently puts the formation chance through seven days at 60%.

“Based on current forecasts, the first chance the system would have to develop comes over the weekend when the disturbance is about 3/4 of the way to the vicinity of the northeastern Caribbean islands,” Norcross said.

The storm currently poses no threat to the U.S., but the FOX Forecast Center is monitoring the system as it swirls west away from Africa.

Tropical disturbance in Atlantic near Central America may develop in Pacific Ocean

A complex situation is unfolding in Central America, where a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms over the southwestern Caribbean Sea is forecast to head into parts of Nicaragua and Honduras, bringing heavy rain, then potentially redevelop as it crosses west into the Pacific Ocean.

Right now, the NHC only gives a 10% chance of development in the Atlantic Ocean before crossing Central America, but increases the odds to 60% over the next week once the storm crosses over into the Pacific Ocean and find favorable conditions for redevelopment off the coast of southern Mexico. 

The storm could eventually become a tropical depression as it heads west-northwest paralleling the southwestern coast of Mexico.