West Palm Beach, FLA. (WPEC) — The tropical Atlantic is stirring again, and this time it’s Invest AL97, a tropical wave located well southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands, that’s starting to show some potential. While it’s still early in the game, this system is producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms, and conditions are looking increasingly favorable for development over the next few days.
AL97 is moving west-northwest to northwest at 15 to 20 mph, and as it travels across the central tropical Atlantic, it’s entering an environment with warm sea surface temperatures, low to moderate wind shear, and ample moisture, all ingredients that can help a tropical system take shape.
The National Hurricane Center now gives AL97 a 40% chance of development within the next 48 hours, and a 50% chance over the next 7 days. That means a tropical depression could form as early as this week, possibly becoming the next named storm if it continues to organize…