WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The tropics remain active on Wednesday with one named storm and two other areas with the potential for formation.
First, an area of low pressure near the Gulf of Mexico has a 30% chance of developing now. A tropical depression could form over the weekend as the disturbance moves fully into the Gulf of Mexico.
TRACKING THE TROPICS: Hurricane Center | Hurricane Guide
There is high uncertainty at the moment, since the weather models are not in good agreement with this system as far as its development.
At the very least, it will pump ample tropical moisture into Florida by this weekend. Interests along the U.S. Gulf Coast should continue to monitor the progress of this system.
"A weak low is possible this weekend, which will become tied in with a front on Monday," WPTV First Alert Weather chief Meteorologist Steve Weagle said. "That will drag tropical rains over Florida for the start of next week."
"There's potential for development in the Gulf," WPTV First Alert Weather meteorologist Jennifer Correa said. "And so we just have to watch it because the models are going to maybe get into better agreement. But we'll still how it pans out. Especially during the weekend. That's when we'll get a better idea as to what's happening."
Regardless of development, Correa said we are expecting scattered thunderstorms to return by the weekend and into early next week.
Elsewhere in the tropics, Hurricane Kirk is located almost halfway between the Cabo Verde Islands and the western Caribbean. Kirk will continue to strengthen, eventually becoming a major hurricane.
The good news is that Kirk will turn north toward the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and stay over open waters.
Behind Kirk, Tropical Depression 13 formed Wednesday morning and is expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Leslie and then a hurricane. Once it becomes Leslie, it will take a track similar to Kirk and curve into the colder waters of the northern Atlantic.
