Tropical depression highly likely to form in Atlantic, NHC says

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - A new disturbance in the Atlantic Ocean is warranting some attention.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said in Monday’s 8 a.m. update that the elongated area of low pressure in the central Atlantic is producing near-gale force winds and has increased to a high likelihood (80 percent) of development over the next five days. The NHC says conditions are marginally favorable and a tropical depression is likely to form later this week.

“Although environmental conditions are only marginally favorable, some gradual development of this system is expected over the next several days and a tropical depression is likely to form later this week,” the NHC forecast said.

The NHC said the disturbance “is producing a tight pressure gradient that is supporting strong to near gale force winds,” while moving slowly west-northwest at 5-10 mph toward waters east and northeast of the Leeward Islands.

Three other areas are being watched -- a trough of low pressure near the Yucatan Peninsula, a new tropical wave coming off the west African coast, and another small low-pressure system 600 miles east of Bermuda -- continue to be rated as having low chances of development over the next five days. The wave coming off of the African coast has the highest chance, 30%, of development over the next five days.

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