Tropical depression may form in the Caribbean Sea over the weekend, forecasters say
Forecasters are watching a ‘vigorous’ tropical wave in the Atlantic that has a high chance of forming into a tropical depression over the weekend or early next week.
The system was dumping rain over the Lesser Antilles and the eastern Caribbean Sea on Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Forecasters said the system has an 100% of formation during the weekend and through the next five days. The system is currently not a threat to Florida, although the center warned that interests in Jamaica, Nicaragua and Honduras should keep an eye on the potential storm. The recent inclusion of Jamaica on the list of interests suggests that the models are skewed over a wide range, and it’s still unclear if the potential storm will head due west or on a more northeast pattern.
“If this recent development trend continues, then advisories will likely be initiated on this disturbance this afternoon or evening while the system moves generally westward at about 15 mph toward the western Caribbean Sea,” forecasters wrote.
If the tropical wave strengthens into a tropical storm it would be Eta, the 28th named storm of the season. This would tie the 2020 hurricane season with the record-breaking 2005 hurricane season, which saw 28 storms.
Meanwhile, the hurricane center issued its last advisory Thursday afternoon for post-tropical cyclone Zeta while the system went offshore and entered the mid-Atlantic coast toward the western Atlantic.
This story was originally published October 30, 2020 at 6:36 AM.
