Following the dissipation of Omar, the Atlantic basin will pick up right where it left off in this record-setting season, with several features being monitored for tropical development this week.
“The eastern Atlantic is going to become quite active during the next few days,” AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said.
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One area being monitored is a broad low pressure system located over 1,000 miles to the west of the Cabo Verde Islands. The National Hurricane Center has designated this low as Invest 92L, indicating that this feature has the potential for tropical development.
“As 92L tracks to the west early this week, it will be within an area of relatively light wind shear and warm water, which should allow it to become better organized and develop into a tropical depression, then tropical storm,” Kottlowski said.
The system will track generally to the west or west-northwest across the Atlantic and may pass close to or just north of the Lesser Antilles late in the week.
“All residents and interests of the Lesser Antilles, especially the Leeward Islands should closely monitor the progression of this evolving tropical system,” Kottlowski said.
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Another area of concern is a robust tropical wave expected to emerge off the coast of western Africa on Sunday.
“This tropical wave is projected to become well organized as it moves off the coast and may quickly take on tropical characteristics, potentially by the time it crosses over or near the Cabo Verde Islands early this week,” Kottlowski said.
Regardless of how quickly this wave organizes, a period of drenching and gusty downpours is expected across the Cabo Verde Islands from Monday into Tuesday.
“Another strong tropical wave is projected to emerge from the African Coast Thursday,” Kottlowski said.
Farther west, a weak tropical wave over the Caribbean Sea has a low chance of development, but could bring an uptick in showers and thunderstorms across southern Hispaniola and Jamaica over the next few days.
The next tropical storm names on the list for 2020 in the Atlantic are Paulette and Rene. Since one or both of these storms could form within the next week, there is a significant chance more early formation records will fall and join Cristobal, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana and Omar as top of the list for early formation for their respective letters.
Early formation record holders are Philippe, which formed on Sept. 17, 2005, and Rita, which formed on Sept. 18, 2005.
