Two Tropical Systems in the Gulf Likely by Mid-Week
The tropical Atlantic Basin remains quite active even though the 2020 Hurricane Season should be winding down. You're well aware that this has been anything but a normal season. So, the potential of having two tropical systems in the Gulf of Mexico in October fits right in with the chaos of the season so far.
Let's look at each storm. The first is Tropical Storm Gamma.
That system spent most of the day Saturday on land in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. It is now centered over the southern Gulf of Mexico and is expected to slowly creep northward today. Tomorrow the system is expected to take a southwesterly turn. This motion will keep the center over water where it could strengthen.
At the end of the five-day forecast, Gamma is in the Bay of Campeche. The fact that it is still technically over water and in the Gulf of Mexico could be troubling by next weekend. This is certainly a storm we will watch for you.
The other storm system is a strong tropical wave right now. It could become a tropical depression or Tropical Storm Delta later today or tomorrow.
This system is centered south of Jamaica and has been designated as Invest 92L by the National Hurricane Center. Forecasters at the Hurricane Center have given the system an 80% probability of becoming a tropical cyclone over the next few days.
The tropical guidance models bring the system over Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and western Cuba into the Gulf of Mexico by next week. There just isn't a lot of confidence in those models right now. So, this will certainly be a wait and see kind of situation.