Twin Disturbances in the Eastern Atlantic Could Become New Threat to Caribbean

 Jonathan Erdman

Published: September 12, 2020

Two areas in the eastern Atlantic also being watched for the possible formation of a tropical depression this week. One of them may cross the Atlantic and become a threat to the northeastern Caribbean

(MORE: It's Peak in the Hurricane Season, But There's a Long Way to Go)

Atlantic Areas to Watch

Area #1

Much farther east, a tropical wave is a few hundred miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. This system is likely to form into a tropical depression as it tracks westward across the tropical Atlantic this weekend or early next week.

Certainty that it will follow the red circle in the graphic below is lower than usual. There is a possibility that this system will turn right and move northward sooner than later.

If this system can make it across the Atlantic without taking the right hand turn, it may arrive in the Leeward Islands early next week.

It's uncertain what, if any, land areas this system might affect in the long-term future.

Area #2

Another tropical wave is located just off the west coast of Africa.

Conditions may be favorable for some gradual development of this system as it moves slowly northwestward over the far eastern Atlantic early next week.

We're also watching Tropical Depression 19 in the Gulf of Mexico. The forecast for this potential hurricane threat for the Gulf Coast can be found here.

Record Early, Again

The 2005 hurricane season previously held the record earliest "P" and "R" storms, Philippe on Sept. 17 and Rita on Sept. 18, respectively.

After Rene, only four names are left in the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season names list. Additional storms after "Wilfred" would be named after letters in the Greek alphabet starting with "Alpha". That has happened only once before, in the 2005 hurricane season.

2020 Atlantic hurricane season names list. Checkmarks show storm names already used through Sept. 7, 2020.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.