NOAA Says Two Tropical Waves Have The Potential To Threaten The Territory
MIAMI — A tropical wave is expected to move into the eastern Caribbean Sea this weekend, bringing rain and gusty wind, the National Hurricane Center said today (July 29).
Meanwhile, a second tropical wave in the Atlantic has become better organized.
According to forecasters, the first wave is about 1,200 miles east of the Lesser Antilles and is moving west at 25 mph. It’s poorly organized, the National Hurricane Center said, and any development will be slow because it is moving quickly. It’s expected to bring rain this weekend to portions of the Leeward Islands and the eastern Caribbean.
It has a low (20 percent) chance of developing into at least a tropical depression within 48 hours and low (30 percent) chance of developing within five days.
Forecasters also are watching a second tropical wave and a low pressure system off the west coast of Africa. The system, which is a couple hundred miles south of the Cabo Verde Islands, has become better organized since Thursday.
“Some additional development is possible during the next day or two before the disturbance encounters a less favorable environment over the central tropical Atlantic next week,” the National Hurricane Center said.
It has a medium (40 percent) chance of developing within 48 hours and a medium (50 percent) chance of developing within five days.
The Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) said on Thursday that it is aware of the two tropical waves off the coast of Africa and is monitoring them.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said that each system is tracking in a way that could threaten the territory.
The 2016 Atlantic hurricane season began June 1 and ends Nov. 30. Forecasters expect it to be near-normal, with a 70 percent chance of 10 to 16 named storms, including 4 to 8 hurricanes, with 1 to 4 of those being major, Category 3 and above.
The storm names for 2016 are:
- Alex
- Bonnie
- Colin
- Danielle
- Earl
- Fiona
- Gaston
- Hermine
- Ian
- Julia
- Karl
- Lisa
- Matthew
- Nicole
- Otto
- Paula
- Richard
- Shary
- Tobias
- Virgine
- Walter
The 2015 season was below average, with seven tropical storms, four hurricanes, and a tropical depression. Two of the hurricanes, Danny in August and Joaquin in September and October, were major.
To read the full National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) advisory, please click on the link below:
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