Tropical Storm Gabrielle Likely To Form This Week: Forecasters

A weather system named Invest 92L, currently moving across the Atlantic, will likely strengthen into Tropical Storm Gabrielle this week, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The low pressure area, located about midway between the Windward Islands and the west Africa coast, is producing showers and thunderstorms Tuesday morning.

Environmental conditions are conducive for the system to develop, NHC said.

There’s a 90 percent chance a tropical depression or storm will form in the next day or two as the system moves west-northwest at 10 to 15 mph across the ocean, the agency said.

“The tropical wave moving through the Atlantic will reach an area with low wind shear later this week. This wave could intensify quickly once it passes north of the Leeward Islands and reaches an area with conditions that are ripe for intensification. We expect the next tropical storm to develop by the end of the week,” said Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather lead hurricane expert.

Matt Devitt with WINK News wrote in a Facebook post, “18 days and counting since we've had an active Atlantic tropical system. That'll likely change this week, but still a small victory. Plenty of season left, stay positive and updated!”

The last time the Atlantic was storm free from Aug. 28 through Sept. 15 was in 1939, Paul Dellegatto with Fox 13 added in a Facebook post.

Forecasters are also watching a tropical wave emerging off Africa’s west coast for possible development.

This system is producing an area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms, the NHC said.

It could see some slow development toward the middle to later part of the week as it moves west across the Atlantic at 15 to 20 mph, according to the agency. It has a 20 percent chance of becoming a tropical depression or storm over the next week.

“Broad low pressure in the central Atlantic is getting better organized and a tropical depression or storm may form over the next day or two. This system is likely to turn more NW with time. Behind it, another wave may develop slowly as it moves west. Neither system is a concern for Florida right now,” Denis Phillips, chief meteorologist for Tampa Bay 28, wrote in a Facebook post.

There’s also “a compact but vigorous storm” that has been developing off the North Carolina coast since Sunday, AccuWeather said. “However, it likely has only a brief window to organize before moving onshore on Tuesday or Tuesday night.”

Even if this system doesn’t strengthen into a tropical storm, it will bring heavy rains and gusty thunderstorms to eastern and central North Carolina, southeastern and central Virginia, eastern Maryland and Delaware, experts said.

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