Tropical activity in Atlantic not ready to shut down just yet

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

Updated Nov. 1, 2019 2:23 PM

The tropical Atlantic continues to have a weak pulse with a couple of areas being monitored for development.

While Rebekah has transitioned to a non-tropical storm near the Azores to end this week, there continue to be potential candidates for tropical activity in the coming weeks over the Atlantic Ocean.

"There are currently two large, but disorganized areas of showers and thunderstorms we are keeping a close eye on through this weekend," Dan Kottlowski, AccuWeather's top hurricane expert, said.

This image, taken on Nov. 1, 2019, shows a large part of the tropical Atlantic Basin with Africa to the right and South America to the lower left in the image. (NOAA/GOES-East)

One area was centered more than 1,000 miles to the southwest of the Cabo Verde islands.

"We expect this feature to remain in an area with low wind shear and sufficiently warm water through this weekend," Kottlowski said.

Some organization can occur with a low chance of the system becoming a tropical depression.

"However, the window for development with this feature is likely to close by next week as the feature enters a zone of higher wind shear," Kottlowski said.

A second area was associated with a storm in the upper atmosphere, located more than 550 miles northeast of the Leeward Islands.

"This feature is likely to take a curved path to the southwest, northwest then the north into next week," Kottlowski said.

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"There is a chance this feature may gradually acquire tropical characteristics over warm water in the coming days," Kotlowski added.

Neither of the two areas pose a threat to land at this time.

There are currently no other areas that represent viable candidates for tropical development into next week.

Thus far there have been 19 tropical depressions, 17 tropical storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes during the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season.

The Atlantic hurricane season does not officially end until Nov. 30.

Back in the spring, Kottlowski warned of the potential for late-season tropical systems this year.

Typically during November, a strengthening jet stream over North America tends to prevent tropical systems from reaching Texas but can bend northward enough allow systems to travel across Florida and move northward just off the East Coast of the United States.