MIDWAY, Fla. (WTXL) -- The Atlantic basin has become more active in terms of tropical waves developing and traversing the ocean waters. The most vigorous activity is emerging from the western African continent into the Cape Verde region of the east Atlantic, where forecast guidance suggests higher chances of a tropical wave developing into a tropical depression or storm within the span of five days. Projections also show this system eventually turning more to the northwest and north next week, which would keep the system over the open Atlantic.
A wave of moisture near Puerto Rico is highly disorganized and encountering considerable upper wind shear. Development of this system will be quite slow initially. However, the moisture blob is expected to remain intact as it moves near the Bahamas and the Florida peninsula over the Labor Day weekend. Conditions are not favorable for robust development through this time frame. By early next week, though, the moisture source is shown to possibly enter the eastern Gulf while moving west-northwest. Some development into a tropical low is suggested as it moves mainly toward the central Gulf region.
It is too soon to hone in on specific forecast outcomes with this system, but an increase in moisture and rain is possible for the Big Bend area toward the middle of next week based on this outlook.
WTXL First Alert Weather will continue to analyze the latest forecast data and will publish more forecasts in the days ahead.
The next names on the tropical storm list are Florence and Gordon.
