No coastal warnings or watches are in effect but the National Hurricane Center has issued several advisories for the storm.
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As of 5 p.m. Monday, the system was about 360 miles west-southwest of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands.
While Florida is keeping a close eye on the Caribbean, another tropical storm – Gaston – has been quickly strengthening. The storm, which the NHC described as a “strong tropical wave” is now moving westward over the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico. The center said environmental conditions are marginally conducive for development, but the system could become a tropical depression this week.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, reports from an Air Force reconnaissance aircraft and surface observations indicate that the system still lacks a well-defined circulation, but it was nevertheless producing tropical-storm-force winds in squalls over the northernmost Leeward Islands and adjacent waters. It could become a hurricane later this week, weather officials say.
This system could become a tropical depression any time during the next few days while it moves west-northwestward at about 15 miles per hour across the northern Leeward Islands toward Puerto Rico, Hispaniola and the Bahamas.
Gaston was forecast to stay on a northwest path and likely won’t affect land.
According to forecasters, there is a 70 percent chance of 12 to 17 named storms, five to eight of which are expected to become hurricanes, including two to four that are major hurricanes.
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Not far behind Gaston, forecasters said, are the makings of Tropical Storm Hermine – labeled Invest 99L. Four of these have already made landfall: Bonnie (South Carolina), Colin (western Florida), Danielle (eastern Mexico) and Earl (Belize and Mexico).
