Atlantic hurricane season is headed toward its typically busiest time of year, and two areas are being watched for tropical development this week.
Where are these areas?
The graphic below shows the areas that are being monitored by the National Hurricane Center.
One is located in the central Atlantic east of Bermuda and the other is located in the eastern Atlantic.
Chances of development?
Central Atlantic: This low is located a few hundred miles southeast of Bermuda. The system could become a short-lived depression or storm in the next few days as it continues to drift north away from Bermuda.
Eastern Atlantic: A tropical wave will move off the coast of Africa and then could develop into a tropical depression towards the latter half of the week.
The next Atlantic tropical system with winds of at least 39 mph will be called Tropical Storm Dolly.
Get More of Our News on Google
Set The Weather Company as a ‘Preferred Source’ to get quicker access to the news you value.
(MORE: What tropical terms actually mean)
Are either of these a threat?
The central Atlantic low may enhance rain and gusty winds in parts of Newfoundland later Tuesday into early Wednesday, but then will merge with a cold front.
The eastern Atlantic system may face the same El Niño enhanced wind shear and dry air other systems have fought against in recent weeks.
Higher wind shear can rip apart tropical systems, including those trying to develop.
If the system stays weak, it could make it to parts of the Lesser Antilles by early next week, with some increase in showers possible.
If the eastern Atlantic system manages to fight off this shear and dry air and develops, it’s expected to then make a northward turn next week in the Atlantic.
While it’s far too soon to be certain about what happens with this system next week, it is not an immediate concern for the mainland U.S.
Those in the Lesser Antilles should monitor the progress of this system, as with any system during hurricane season.
(MORE: What is wind shear?)
Tropics on the rise
We are in the ramp-up of the Atlantic hurricane season.
The escalation begins in August and continues until peak hurricane season in the second week of September.
El Niño is also ramping up, but that doesn’t guarantee that no storms will form. It just hinders their chances.
It only takes one storm to make a hurricane season impactful.
Rob Shackelford is a meteorologist and climate scientist at weather.com. He received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Georgia, studying meteorology and experimenting with alternative hurricane forecasting tools.