PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – The National Hurricane Center is tracking a “vigorous tropical wave” moving across the Atlantic that is likely to form into a tropical depression in the next few days.
The area of showers and thunderstorms is several hundred miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands, and forecasters expect the system to develop as is moves westward at around 15 mph across the tropical Atlantic, toward the Lesser Antilles.
The Hurricane Center gives it a 60 percent chance of forming into a tropical cyclone over the next 48 hours.
A tropical cyclone is a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has a closed low-level circulation. They are classified as a tropical depression, tropical storm or hurricane based on their wind speeds.
Local 10 meteorologist Julie Durda says that as this wave moves west, it will likely move into some dryer air and upper-level winds later in the week, making it less conducive for further development.
Stay tuned to the Local 10 Weather Authority for updates and your forecast for what looks like a steamy week in South Florida.