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Hurricane season heats up as odds increase for tropical system to develop, move into Gulf of Mexico

By FOX 13 News Staff
Updated  September 19, 2024 6:13pm EDT
Hurricanes
FOX 13 News

Likelihood of development increases for tropical disturbance near Gulf of Mexico

FOX 13 meteorologist Jim Weber is tracking the very active tropics.

TAMPA, Fla. - FOX 13 meteorologists are monitoring an area in the western Caribbean that could develop into a storm system over the next seven days.

It is expected to head into the Gulf of Mexico sometime next week, but it is still unclear where it will head afterward and how strong it will become. 

The National Hurricane Center says the system has a 40% chance of developing over the next seven days. 

When will the system develop? 

FOX 13 Meteorologist Jim Weber says the development will be slow and likely will not occur until the end of next week and into next weekend. 

The organized low can form within a larger gyre, a broad area of low pressure that can help spin up other low-pressure areas. 

RELATED: The Central American Gyre: What to know as hurricane season continues

Currently, there is a lot of instability, moisture, and heat in that area, meaning all the ingredients are in place to spin up one of these systems. 

Where will the storm go? 

Weber says a weaker system will likely head toward the west and a strong one will probably go east. 

That’s not the only system meteorologists are watching. 

The remnants of Gordon are still lingering in the Atlantic, and while there is a possibility of it regenerating, the chances are decreasing. 

Just west of what’s left of Gordon, is another system that has a small chance of development, but it is expected to stay over open water. 

Meteorologists say storm or no storm, it is important to have a family hurricane plan in place as September is usually the most active month of the hurricane season. 

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