What Is Tropical Depression? Disturbance In The Atlantic Could Affect Florida In The Coming Week

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is keeping an eye on a potential weather system in the Caribbean that could affect Florida. Additionally, the NHC is monitoring another disturbance in the Atlantic, remnants of Gordon, and a tropical wave expected to move off the African coast.

According to the NHC, a broad low-pressure area is predicted to develop early next week in the northwestern Caribbean Sea. As the system slowly moves north or northwest, there is potential for gradual development.

Is Tropical Depression Forming In The Northwestern Caribbean Sea?

The NHC anticipates that a tropical depression could form, possibly by the end of the week. While major weather models generally agree on the development of low pressure in the Gulf of Mexico, there is some uncertainty about the system’s subsequent path. The lack of formation so far makes it challenging to predict its exact trajectory or intensity.

Once the system forms, more data will become available, and model predictions will be more accurate. For now, these models should be viewed as preliminary trends to monitor.

The WESH 2 First Warning Weather Team is closely tracking this area of interest and will provide the latest updates.

The NHC currently gives this system a “medium” chance of formation, with a 70% likelihood of developing in the next week. However, the chances of formation in the next 48 hours are close to zero.

The NHC also tagged Invest 96-L on Thursday, located about 700 miles southeast of Bermuda. This system is generating disorganized showers and a few thunderstorms, but significant development is unlikely due to the dry environment. The chances of formation are 20% over the next 48 hours and seven days.

Meanwhile, the NHC reports that a tropical wave is expected to move westward from the coast of Africa on Sunday or Monday. This system is likely to develop into a tropical depression next week as it moves across the eastern and central tropical Atlantic. The chances of formation are 40% over the next seven days and nearly zero over the next two days.

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What Is Tropical Depression?

When a thunderstorm system develops a low-pressure center, it is classified by the National Hurricane Center as a tropical depression, which is the weakest type of tropical cyclone. Despite their relatively low intensity, tropical depressions should not be underestimated.

Tropical depressions feature maximum sustained winds of 38 mph or less. Unlike tropical storms and hurricanes, which are given names, tropical depressions are designated by numbers.

These numbers are assigned sequentially, with the first depression of the season labeled as Tropical Depression One (TD 1), followed by Tropical Depression Two, Tropical Depression Three, and so forth, continuing until the end of the season.

Tropical depressions form in the same areas where tropical storms and hurricanes originate and often represent the initial stages of more powerful cyclones.