2 Tropical Disturbances Showing Potential For Development, Forecasters Say

TAMPA BAY, FL — Tampa Bay area residents will want to keep their eyes on the tropics over the coming days. The National Hurricane Center has given two tropical disturbances in the Atlantic Ocean strong chances for developing more over the next few days. One of those disturbances is likely to become the next named storm of the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

As forecasters track the disturbances, they are also continuing to keep a close eye on Tropical Depression Fiona. As of Monday, that storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. It was moving on a west-northwest track that is likely to bring it close to Bermuda by sometime on Friday.

While Fiona isn’t likely to have any real impact on Florida or the Tampa Bay area, it’s still anyone’s guess as to where the two disturbances will ultimately land.

As of Monday afternoon, the hurricane center projected the first disturbance will maintain a course that could bring the storm toward the Sunshine State. That tropical wave was located about 750 miles east of the Lesser Antilles as of 2 p.m. Monday.

A dry air mass is expected to slow the storm’s development over the next few days. However, “environmental conditions could become more conducive for development late this week when the storm is expected to move near Hispaniola and the southeastern and central Bahamas,” forecasters wrote in Monday’s Tropical Weather Outlook report.

An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is expected to investigate the system more on Tuesday. The storm has been given a 50 percent chance of developing over the next five days. The system was last moving westward to west-northwest at 15 to 20 mph.

The second disturbance under watch has been given a 100 percent chance of developing more over the next 48 hours. As of Monday afternoon, the storm was located about 300 miles southwest of the southern Cabo Verde Islands.

“The associated showers and thunderstorms are well organized,” forecasters wrote. The system, however, has yet to develop a well-defined circulation pattern. Even so, forecasters anticipate a tropical depression will form sometime Monday night or by Tuesday. This storm was last moving west-northwest at 15 to 20 mph.

Should either disturbance develop enough to earn a name, it will be called Gaston.

While it’s still too early to tell the final paths the disturbances will take, the storms serve as a reminder for folks to be prepared as hurricane season continues. The season runs through Nov. 30. The season's peak is right now and runs through mid-October.

To find out more about hurricane season and storm preparation, read these related Patch stories:

• Hurricane Season 2016: Where To Find Local Information
• 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast Released
• Hurricane Season: How to Prepare
• 2016 Hurricane Names: Is Yours On the List?
• Tampa Bay 'Ripe for Disaster,' Hurricane Experts Say

To keep up with storm activity as the season develops, bookmark the National Hurricane Center’s website and keep an eye on your hometown Patch site for local information.

Image courtesy of the National Hurricane Center