Tropical update Broad low close to home & 2 tropical waves

We continue to monitor two waves, one over the Eastern Atlantic and another one that is emerging from Africa. But also, we are monitoring a broad area of low pressure closer to home.

It’s eastern Atlantic tropical wave season (that’s a mouth full!). This means that this is the time of year when we shift our eyes to Africa and monitor the clusters of thunderstorms leaving the continent. These tropical waves correlate to how much monsoon rain has fallen over the region. When there has been plenty of rain, the soil’s moisture escapes into the atmosphere as the heat beats the ground, birthing tropical waves, which travel westward.

There is a tropical wave located west-southwest of Cabo Verde Islands. The National Hurricane Center gives it a 10 percent chance to develop into a tropical system within the next 7 days.

But about to leave Africa, there is a more robust tropical wave that has a 30 percent chance of becoming a tropical system within the next 7 days. Both waves are expected to continue moving west-northwest. If any of these waves develop, it would be by the weekend.

Good question! The direction in which these waves would move will greatly depend on the semi-permanent high-pressure system known as the Bermuda High. This system is currently centered over the middle of the northern Atlantic, but it could break as the week progresses. This could mean that any of these tropical waves could be picked up by the broken high-pressure and be guided northward, staying over water.

Regardless of if any of these waves make it all the way west, we are also monitoring a broad area of low pressure that is developing over the western Caribbean and southern Gulf of Mexico. This will be of more interest to residents adjacent to the Gulf Coast and Florida as there will be plenty of moisture present, untouched hot waters, and low wind shear in the region that could spin off a quick storm.

This is the time to check your hurricane plans. Where are your most important documents? If you needed extra medicines, would you be able to get an extra month's supply or two? Do you know if you are in an evacuation zone? Or in a flood zone? Have you gotten enough non-perishable foods for the season? You can see 6 easy ways to prepare now here.

We will continue to bring you updates this week. You can count on our Task Force to be activated as soon as a storm threatens land.