NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – A disturbance located east of the Bahamas in the Atlantic Ocean is showing signs of potential development as it slowly drifts to the west-northwest. The broad trough of low pressure is unlikely to form tropical characteristics in the next day or so.
However, some models show the possibility of the system developing either tropical or sub-tropical characteristics later in the week as the system approaches the Southeastern U.S. coastline.
The National Hurricane Center places the chances for tropical development at 0% in the next 48 hours and at 30% in the next five days. It is highly unlikely this system will impact the Gulf of Mexico.
The Atlantic Basin hurricane season officially starts on June 1, but it’s not unheard of for storms to form outside the hurricane season. In fact, Hurricane Alex already formed way back in January, becoming the first January-born hurricane since the 1950s. The next storm for 2016 will be named Bonnie.
The predictions for this year’s hurricane season are about average with 12 named storms, five hurricanes and two major hurricanes forecast in this year’s prediction by Colorado State University.
