NEW TROPICAL STORM EXPECTED TO DEVELOP; NEXT NAME: ELSA… The National Hurricane Center gives a tropical wave located about 1,300 miles east of the Lesser Antilles a 90% chance of becoming a named tropical storm over the next few days as the system continues to rapidly move west. Organization has significantly increased today, and it appears the system could be on the cusp of becoming a tropical depression or a tropical storm as soon as tonight or tomorrow. There is high confidence that this system will continue moving west into the Caribbean Sea later this week into the weekend, however there is no way to know just yet whether the system will be a real threat to Florida or the Gulf Coast region. I would suggest, based on the longer-range models, however, that interests along the Gulf Coast should closely monitor the progress of this system over the next several days.
UNUSUAL TO HAVE TROPICAL DEVELOPMENT IN JUNE IN CENTRAL ATLANTIC… We have had several tropical waves flare up over the last few weeks in the “MDR,” or Main Development Region, of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the Lesser Antilles and the African continent. This is unusual for the month of June as we are still early in the Atlantic Hurricane Season. Normally this early in the hurricane season, an upper-level trough digs down into the region near the Lesser Antilles and prevents tropical storms from forming. That trough currently is not present, thus allowing more waves to potentially become problematic.
NEXT NAME: ELSA… Once this tropical disturbance becomes a classified storm and takes a name, it will be “Elsa,” like the widely known Walt Disney character “Elsa” in the hit movie, Frozen. Just being honest, that is the only Elsa I am personally familiar with! Do you know an Elsa in person other than Disney’s Elsa? I do not.
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I will have more updates on this developing tropical system over the next few days posted in the RedZone Weather app. My next detailed forecast video and long form text discussion will be posted by 7:15AM tomorrow morning. Have a good Wednesday afternoon!