ORLANDO, Fla. – The National Hurricane Center is watching two tropical waves tracking across the central-eastern Atlantic.
One wave, just inland over Africa as of Thursday morning, was producing a large area of showers.
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The wave is expected to move off the west coast of Africa later Thursday.
Conditions appear somewhat conducive for gradual development, and a tropical depression could form over the next week while the system moves west at about 15 miles per hour.
The NHC said it has a 40% chance of developing tropical characteristics over the next two days and a 70% chance of developing tropical characteristics over the next five days.
The other wave is over the central Atlantic, where it was producing a board area of disorganized showers and storms.
Conditions are marginally conducive for some slow development east of the Lesser Antilles by early next week while the disturbance moves west at 10-15 miles per hour.
The system has a 20% chance of development over the next five days.
It’s too early to know if either wave will have an impact on Florida.
Meanwhile, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Wednesday updated its hurricane forecast, continuing to predict a busier than normal hurricane season. NOAA said it expects 15-21 named storms in 2021, with seven to 10 of those storms becoming hurricanes and three to five becoming major hurricanes.
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The next named storm will be called Fred.
Hurricane season runs through November.