Tropics are heating up again

Published: Updated:

After a brief lull, more tropical trouble is brewing as we head into mid-October, with three areas to watch in the coming days.

A broad area of low pressure associated with a tropical wave is located a few hundred miles east of the Windward Islands. Strong upper-level wind is enhancing wind shear and will continue to lower development potential.

Right now, the National Hurricane Center is giving it a 10% chance of formation. Regardless of development, the system will likely produce locally heavy rainfall across portions of the central and northern Lesser Antilles tonight, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Thursday, and Hispaniola on Friday.

Additionally, we’ll watch this disturbance closely by late next week as some of the leftover energy may enhance a tropical disturbance trying to form in the Caribbean. The National Hurricane Center gives this area a low 20% chance of development over the next 5 days.

Meanwhile, another area of low pressure is expected to form north of the Greater Antilles over the weekend into next week. Slow development of the system is possible in coming days as it slides westward towards the Bahamas. The  National Hurricane Center gives this disturbance a low 20% of development over the next 5 days.

Locally, expect mostly clear skies, and a pleasant feel to the air, with temperatures falling into the lower 70s along the coast & upper 60s inland!

Ahead of a front, our humidity levels do increase a bit on Thursday, before a more notable shift upward on Friday. This will bring the return of scattered showers and storms due to deeper tropical moisture!

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