NHC tracking new tropical disturbance in Atlantic as hurricane season nears its peak
Potential tropical disturbance pops up in Atlantic
FOX 13 Meteorologist Valerie Mills broke down an area of interest in the Atlantic that the National Hurricane Center is now monitoring. She said higher-than-normal water temps could lead to development. She also broke down some activity in the Pacific.
TAMPA, Fla. - The National Hurricane Center has flagged a new tropical disturbance in the Atlantic for monitoring.
An area of low pressure could form in the central part of the tropical Atlantic in the coming days. The NHC gives the system a near-zero chance of developing over the next two days, but it has a 20 percent chance of formation over the next week.
Environmental conditions appear generally favorable for some slow development of the wave by the weekend into early next week as it moves west to west-northwest at 10 to 15 mph.
READ: Why are the tropics quiet near the peak of hurricane season?
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is inching closer to its peak in mid-September, but Saharan dust has kept the tropics relatively quiet over the past few weeks.
It is common for the Atlantic Ocean to see Saharan dust roll in from Africa's west coast, but the levels and length of that Saharan dust this year have been unprecedented, FOX 13 Meteorologist Nash Rhodes said.
Rhodes did add that while Saharan dust has slowed down tropical activity through August, the remainder of the hurricane season is still forecast to be active, with warm sea surface temperatures potentially serving as catalysts for future disturbances.
