Tropical Storm Kirk forms in the Atlantic, expected to become ‘major hurricane’

Tropical Storm Kirk forms in the Atlantic, expected to become ‘major hurricane’

MIAMI — Days after Florida and the southeastern United States felt the wrath of Hurricane Helene, another tropical storm formed in the Atlantic.

Tropical Storm Kirk formed on Monday morning with sustained winds of 45 miles per hour. 

The National Hurricane Center expects it to strengthen into a hurricane by mid-week. 

Where is Tropical Storm Kirk? 

As of 9:35 a.m. on Monday, Tropical Storm Kirk was located at 13.5 N and 34.4 W., about 700 miles from the Cabo Verde Islands. 

What is the forecast for Tropical Storm Kirk? 

Tropical Storm Kirk is expected to become a hurricane later this week.

What are the impacts of Tropical Storm Kirk? 

Tropical Storm Kirk does not pose a threat to the U.S. at this time.

Meanwhile, a disturbance in the western Carribean has a 40% chance of development over the next week as it enters the Gulf of Mexico and moves over deep, warm waters. 

FOX 13 Meteorologist Dave Osterberg said, depending on where this area goes, heavy rain could reach the Bay Area by the second half of next weekend and into next week.

“We just don’t know how much or if this is going to develop into anything significant,” Osterberg said. “But it’s something we’re going to have to watch closely over the next few days.”

Active Systems

The NHC issued advisories on Tropical Storm Isaac, located several hundred miles north of the Azores, on Tropical Depression Joyce, located over the central Atlantic Ocean, and on Tropical Depression Twelve, located over the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean.

Eastern Tropical Atlantic

Showers and thunderstorms have increased in association with a tropical wave located a few hundred miles south of the Cabo Verde Islands.

Upper-level winds are forecast to become more conducive for gradual development, and a tropical depression is likely to form in a few days while it moves slowly westward over the eastern tropical Atlantic.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…30 percent.
* Formation chance through 7 days…high…80 percent.

Western Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico

A large and disorganized area of low pressure located over the western and southwestern Caribbean Sea is producing some shower and thunderstorm activity.

Environmental conditions could become conducive for gradual development, and a tropical depression could form in a few days while the system is over the southern Gulf of Mexico or northwestern Caribbean Sea.

While interests in the northwestern Caribbean Sea and along the U.S. Gulf Coast should continue to monitor the progress of this system, the timetable for potential development has shifted later toward late week or this weekend.

* Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent.
* Formation chance through 7 days…medium…40 percent.