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It’s early to tell yet, but tropical disturbance Invest 97L could be the next Atlantic hurricane. The burgeoning storm system is currently rotating midway between the Lesser Antilles and Cabo Verde Islands.
The system is expected to track along to the northwest, and it is likely to develop into a tropical storm in the next few days as it picks up steam.
The middle of September is the peak of hurricane season in the Northwest Hemisphere. The number of tropical storms and hurricanes is dramatically higher throughout September.
While August and October are months with high amounts of hurricane activity, September is the main month to watch out for if you live in the Caribbean or on the East Coast.
Any tropical storm or hurricane needs warm water and the right conditions to form. Unfortunately for the Caribbean, the Atlantic Basin in late summer and early fall is perfect for forming these storms. Early models show Invest 97L could impact the Lesser Antilles, more likely the Leeward, not the Windward, islands.
Even in the event of an impact, the storm is only a disturbance right now, so the Leeward Islands wouldn’t likely see a massive amount of damage from the storm. Following that, it’s unclear what the system could do. At present, it’s a bit too early to predict whether the storm could impact the US, or if it has the potential to develop into a full-fledged hurricane.
There are more threats in the Atlantic than just Invest 97L. Since it’s the middle of September, this should come as no surprise. Other storms rotating over the Atlantic basin include Humberto, which is currently a tropical storm. Some models predict Humberto might threaten Bermuda as a hurricane in the next few days.
Elsewhere, in the Gulf of Mexico, there’s a tropical disturbance with a low chance of development. In the event it does somehow develop into a proper storm, that disturbance would likely threaten the Gulf Coast of Texas, marking the first tropical storm or hurricane to threaten that area this season.
If you live near the ocean, keep your eyes peeled for more storm updates as hurricane season bears on.
