Tropical storm possible next week

The Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico are heating up, while the winds that compete against tropical systems are settling down.

FLORIDA, USA, Friday June 15, 2012 – Last time the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) advised that conditions were favourable for the formation of a tropical storm or depression, the pre-season Tropical Storm Alberto formed within days east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina on May 19.
 
Now, similar conditions are in place, and although storm forecasts for the tropical Atlantic are mixed, the Climate Prediction Center has predicted moderate chances that a tropical storm would develop this weekend in the Caribbean, between Central America and Cuba.

Next week, however, the region that the CPC highlights for possible tropical storm development is much broader, stretching across the Caribbean and into the Gulf of Mexico and South-western Atlantic.

The Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico are heating up, while the winds that compete against tropical systems are settling down, a combination that makes storm activity more likely.

Meanwhile, thunderstorms are moving around the global tropics in a way that increases showers in the Caribbean and western Atlantic — another factor for heightened tropical activity in those regions.

Taking all the global weather patterns into account, the Climate Prediction Center forecast moderate chances of tropical storm activity this weekend in the Caribbean, between Central America and Cuba, and over a much wider area next week.

The National Hurricane Center’s Tropical Weather Discussion, meanwhile, referred to a tropical wave in the western Caribbean, but predicted that the wave would fizzle today (Friday), before crossing Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula into the Bay of Campeche.

Forecasters for the private AccuWeather.com service said conditions will become more favourable for "a potential window of development by later next week."

So far this year, two tropical storms have formed, both before the official June 1 start of the Atlantic hurricane season.

The next name on the list is Chris. Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)