Hurricane season heats up: Forecasters watching a bunch of brewing storms

Doyle Rice, USA TODAY
Updated

Hurricane Francine isn't the only storm on the map: Forecasters are tracking four other disturbances across the Atlantic, which now appears to have fully woken up from its slumber.

That isn't surprising: This week is the typical peak of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Though none of the systems was an immediate threat to land, all bear watching for possible tropical development, the National Hurricane Center said Wednesday.

The four systems range in location from a system just off the U.S. coast to a tropical depression far out to sea near Africa (that one just became Tropical Depression Seven).

System could form near US coast

Closest to the U.S., forecasters are watching for a system to form off the southeast coast early next week. However, it's predicted to meander over the Gulf Stream or drift slowly north offshore if it does form. As of Wednesday, the system had a 20% chance of formation in the next seven days.

In addition to Hurricane Francine (left), the National Hurricane Center is also tracking four other systems in the Atlantic, including Tropical Depression Seven (right).
In addition to Hurricane Francine (left), the National Hurricane Center is also tracking four other systems in the Atlantic, including Tropical Depression Seven (right).

Tropical Depression Seven near Africa to become Gordon

Far out to sea, a system that has emerged from Africa became Tropical Depression Seven on Wednesday morning.

If, as predicted, it becomes a named tropical storm and no other system is named first, it will get the name Tropical Storm Gordon.

The storm is forecast to move west across the central Atlantic over the next several days. It poses no immediate threat to land areas.

Hurricane forecasters also tracking 2 other systems in the Atlantic

The hurricane center is tracking two other potential systems, though each has a low chance of development. One, near the Leeward Islands, has only a 10% chance of development because of dry air expected to limit its formation.

The final system, in the central tropical Atlantic, had a slight chance to develop Wednesday before strong upper-level winds were forecast to limit further formation of the system by Thursday, the hurricane center said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricane season heating up: Forecasters watch 4 systems in Atlantic

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