Atlantic Disturbance Could Form Into Tropical Cyclone

MIAMI, FL — The National Hurricane Center is monitoring a disturbance in the Atlantic that has a 70 percent chance of forming into a tropical cyclone over the next five days.

"A broad area of low pressure is expected to develop in a couple of days near or just north of the Bahamas," forecasters said Wednesday night.

Forecasters said the disturbance could become a subtropical depression or storm sometime this weekend. It is still too soon to say whether the disturbance will pose a threat to Florida or the United States.

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"Environmental conditions appear conducive for gradual development of this system and a subtropical depression or storm is likely to form this weekend. The system is expected to move generally northeastward over the western Atlantic through early next week," the National Hurricane Center said.

The center's Dennis Feltgen told Patch the storm would be given the name Arthur if maximum sustained winds reach at least 39 mph.

The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. It is not uncommon to have named storms prior to the official start of the season.

This year's list of Atlantic storm names includes Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred.

The Atlantic basin includes the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center will issue its outlook for the Atlantic and eastern North Pacific basins on May 21, just ahead of the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season.