There’s new storm activity in the Atlantic and Gulf. Could any of them affect NC?
Recovery efforts are underway across the Southeast days after Helene swept through the region, but two months remain for Atlantic hurricane season, and more storms could be on the way.
Storms are moving and developing in the Atlantic Ocean, and there’s a system that may be coming together in the Caribbean Sea. Here’s the latest.
Storm system building in the Gulf of Mexico
There’s a low pressure system producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms from the southwestern Caribbean sea into the southern Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Conditions could lead the system to develop into a tropical depression. As of Wednesday, Oct. 2, there’s a 40% chance that a depression will form over the next seven days.
Current models are showing that the system will likely not develop into something strong, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Forecast Office in Raleigh told The News & Observer.
“This really looks like a threat of heavy rain and possibly a wind and surge threat, depending on storm strength, for Florida later next week,” AccuWeather meteorologist Bernie Rayno said in a report.
Which storms are in the Atlantic now? What about Hurricane Kirk?
▪ Hurricane Kirk is about 1,200 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands off the coast of west Africa and 1,280 miles east of the Lesser Antilles. It is expected to move northwest before turning and heading northeast.
While the NHC expects Kirk to strengthen and become a major hurricane by Thursday, Oct. 3, it is not near land. No coastal watches or warnings are in effect.
▪ There is another system developing in the eastern Atlantic, a few hundred miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. The system has a 90% chance of developing into a tropical depression within 48 hours as of Oct. 2, according to the NHC. It is expected to move northwest and then north, the NWS Raleigh meteorologist said.
Will any of the storms affect NC?
Hurricane Kirk and the other system developing in the Atlantic are not expected to impact land at all.
The system in the Caribbean is expected to stay well to the south of North Carolina, the NWS Raleigh meteorologist said.
What will the next named storm be?
The next named storm would be Leslie.
