3 tropical disturbances being watched in Atlantic, with 2 heading west

Forecasters are watching a new tropical disturbance in the Atlantic with a high chance of developing into a cyclone as two tropical waves are heading west with a third expected off the West African coast this week.

But the chances of the two current waves developing into cyclones remain low.

As of the National Hurricane Center’s noon Tropical Weather Update on Sunday, a system parallel with the Florida Panhandle has a 70% chance of becoming a tropical depression by Friday. But it’s expected to move northeast or east-northeast next to the Atlantic coast, then away from it.

Several areas to watch for tropical development this week. The next four names are Nana, Omar, Paulette and Renee. pic.twitter.com/XHsivEY2w0

— Brad Sowder (@TheBradSowder) August 30, 2020

The closest tropical wave is moving west across the Caribbean Sea away from the Lesser Antilles at 15 to 20 mph. It’s got a 60% chance of developing into a tropical depression in the next five days.

“Regardless of development, this system will continue to produce gusty winds and locally heavy rainfall across portions of the Windward and Leeward Islands this morning before diminishing Sunday afternoon,” the NHC said.

The second tropical wave, also with a 30% chance of forming into a tropical depression by Friday, is over the eastern Atlantic Ocean, hundreds of miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands.

“This system is producing limited shower activity, and any further development is expected to be slow to occur while it moves slowly westward over the eastern or central tropical Atlantic,” the NHC said.

Then, there’s another tropical wave expected to form off the African coast by Tuesday.

The next named storms for the 2020 season would be Nana, Omar and Paulette.