FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — National Hurricane Center forecasters are watching a system near the eastern Caribbean that could form into tropical weather.
An area of low pressure is expected to form along the northern coast of South America, perhaps near Venezuela, this weekend.
Environmental conditions are forecast to be conducive for gradual development, and a tropical depression has a high chance of forming early next week as it moves slowly westward or west-northwestward over the central Caribbean Sea, the center’s latest outlook said.
It has a 70% chance of developing in the next five days, the center’s 8 a.m. Friday outlook said, up from the 50% of much of the past two days.
Heavy rainfall is possible over portions of the Lesser Antilles, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico through the weekend, the latest advisory said.
The storm would pose no threat to Florida.
The weather service is also monitoring a second area near Bermuda over the southwestern Atlantic that is creating disorganized showers and thunderstorms, the outlook said. By late Saturday, its chances of developing will lessen as it reaches upper-level winds.
It has a 20% chance of developing in the next two to five days, the 8 a.m. outlook said.
There have been six tropical storms, two hurricanes and two major hurricanes, Fiona and Ian, so far this season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted between two and six more hurricanes to form before the end of the season on Nov. 30
The next named storm will be Lisa.
