Meteorologists are closely tracking two distinct tropical waves moving across the Atlantic Ocean this week, with one system marked for a moderate chance of strengthening into a tropical depression by the end of the period. According to the official Tropical Weather Outlook issued at 8 a.m. EDT on Sunday, August 9, one of the disturbances, which is set to exit the western coast of Africa in the early days of this week, holds a 40% probability of developing into a named tropical cyclone over the coming seven days. Over the next 48 hours, however, forecasters assess the odds of formation at nearly zero, as the system has yet to encounter the atmospheric and oceanic conditions needed for organization. As the wave tracks steadily westward across the eastern and central sections of the tropical Atlantic, environmental conditions are projected to grow increasingly favorable for gradual strengthening, opening the window for tropical depression formation in the latter half of the week. The second system, currently positioned west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands, carries a lower 20% seven-day development chance as it also drifts west. Forecasters note that conditions are expected to become less supportive of strengthening as this second wave approaches the Lesser Antilles chain later in the week. As of the latest update, neither of the monitored disturbances has yet reached tropical depression or tropical storm status. Officials have urged residents across Antigua and Barbuda, as well as communities across the broader Lesser Antilles archipelago, to stay alert to updated forecasts over the coming days as both systems progress across the Atlantic basin.
Tropical Depression Could Form This Week as Atlantic System’s Development Chance Rises to 40%
