Hurricane Center Watching Two Systems South and East of Louisiana

I think the last guest that anyone in Louisiana would want to see at their Thanksgiving table next week is famed meteorologist and hurricane reporter Jim Cantore. No, it's not that we don't like Jim, we'd rather he be at home with his family rather than working covering a hurricane or tropical storm along the Louisiana coastline. Unfortunately for Jim, he might actually wind up having to work over the holiday.

That's because the National Hurricane Center is currently monitoring not one but two different areas of disturbed weather in the tropical Atlantic Basin that are both showing the potential for further development.

When Does the Hurricane Season End?

The fact that the official end of the 2023 Hurricane Season is two weeks away is the reason why these two late-season areas of disturbed weather are being monitored so closely. You might recall that during the summer months, the sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States were quite warm.

Warm water is a major player in the development of tropical systems and fortunately, there have been some cold fronts that have moved through which have cooled waters around the nation's beaches considerably.

Where is the Hurricane Center Monitoring Today?

As we've alluded to, the areas of concern are to the south and east of the state of Louisiana. It does not appear as if either of these systems will affect Louisiana or the Gulf of Mexico directly. But, holiday vacationers who might have travel plans to South Florida, the Bahamas, Jamaica, or a Caribbean Cruise will certainly want to at least be aware of where threatening weather could be a problem.

The area that is creating the most concern is in the southwest Caribbean Sea. This system has been given a 50% chance of strengthening into at least a tropical depression by this time next week. Forecasters had given the system a better chance of developing earlier in the week but have backed off that projection.

The second area of concern is just off the east coast of Florida and extends as far north as the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This system is given a minimal 10% chance of strengthening into a tropical cyclone but it could be a weathermaker for tourists heading to Florida and the theme parks next week.

Meanwhile, for those staying in Louisiana for Thanksgiving, you probably won't need your hurricane kit at all. But, you might want to clean out the fire pit and find a jacket. Here's the official outlook for Louisiana on Thanksgiving.

Thankfully for Louisiana, it does appear as though we will make it through another hurricane season without any landfalling tropical cyclones. Which in its own way is a reason to be "thankful" this Thanksgiving.