Tropical Systems Expected To Strengthen This Weekend
Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center are now classifying an area of disturbed weather in the far eastern Atlantic Ocean as Tropical Depression 14. Over the next few hours "TD 14" could become Tropical Storm Lee. In fact, the probability of Hurricane Lee is fairly high according to the latest tropical model runs.
While Hurricane, now Tropical Storm, Jose continues to move on a forecast track that would likely carry it away from land. Lee, or what will likely become Lee, could be on a track similar to the early days of Hurricane Irma.
Let's be clear. We are not suggesting that this weather system will follow the exact path of Irma. It just happens to be in the same part of the ocean that Irma was in when it was forming and getting stronger.
Forecast models suggest that TD14 will likely move very slowly toward the west and still be hundreds of miles away from the Leeward and Windward Islands by early next week. From there most of the forecast models suggest a shift out to sea.
But wait, there's more. Another area of disturbed weather that is actually close to the Caribbean Islands has an 80% probability of becoming a tropical cyclone over the next five days. This system could actually be more of an immediate threat to the islands in the coming days.
If this system spins up faster than TD 14 it might earn the name Lee. If TD 14 gets stronger faster this system would be called Maria. Our hope is that if either of these storm systems develops into tropical cyclones that they will remain safely out at sea.