MIAMI — An area of storm activity in the far eastern Atlantic, which is expected to move towards the Caribbean, is being monitored for possible storm development, the National Hurricane Center said.
As of 8 a.m. today, an area of cloudiness and showers was located over the Atlantic, several hundred miles south of Africa’s Cabo Verde Islands. Forecasters have given it a 20 percent chance of developing within the next seven days as it moves west.
Initially, the presence of dry air could hinder development. By the weekend, however, its odds for developing could improve, according to the latest outlook.
Conditions are most conducive for development later this week as it moves west away from dry air, forecasters said.
Tropical storm Don is expected to move north of the Gulf Stream later in the week, where it will encounter cooler water temperatures and likely become post-tropical by the end of the weekend, the latest outlook said.
Meteorologists with Colorado State University have predicted 18 named storms for this season and nine hurricanes, four of which will be major. The forecast already includes an unnamed subtropical storm in January and Tropical Storms Arlene, Bret and Cindy in June.