Next tropical threat brewing in Caribbean with eyes on Gulf of Mexico

Barchart · 5d ago

MIAMI — The Southeast is still reeling from Hurricane Helene's deadly punch, but attention will soon need to return to the Caribbean as the tropics’ next act begins to brew.

Forecast models indicate a new area of low pressure is expected to form over the western Caribbean Sea by early next week, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

The low could then find environmental conditions favorable for development as it moves into the western Gulf of Mexico around the middle of next week, where it could form into a tropical depression, the NHC said.

It’s too early to tell where or how strong the system will become in the days after, but so far the NHC is giving medium odds of developing into at least a tropical depression within the next seven days.

Similar to the budding Caribbean storm, another area of low pressure is finding conditions conducive for gradual development. Only this one is far out in the Atlantic Ocean

The NHC said this storm could form in the wake of Tropical Storm Joyce, and a new tropical depression could form next week, giving medium but rising odds of development in the next seven days.

Those two areas of burgeoning tropical development join two storms that have already reached at least tropical storm status in the Atlantic and have been given the 9th and 10th names on the 2024 tropical cyclone name list. 

Isaac has even developed into a Category 2 hurricane as it swirls across the northern Atlantic. Tropical Storm Joyce sits about 800 miles northeast of the Leeward Islands but is turning to the north and expected to gradually weaken.

Neither storm is a threat to land.