Story at a glance
- Forecasters are watching two weather disturbances in the Atlantic for development.
- They follow Hurricane Laura, which tore through communities along the Gulf Coast and continues to move east.
Meteorologists are tracking two new disturbances in the Atlantic Ocean in addition to Laura, which has now weakened to a tropical depression. Forecasters note that it is still too early to discern if the offshore weather patterns could reach the Gulf of Mexico and hit Louisiana following the mass destruction Laura’s landfall left.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasters said that chances are low, about 30 percent, of it developing into a tropical depression within five days.
We will be watching two systems in the Atlantic for development. 20-30% odds of development for now. No concern for anyone at the moment, but we will keep an eye on these disturbances and post updates as necessary. Hurricane Tracker App https://t.co/Zj1KCEQuz2 pic.twitter.com/6U0n4HM69G
— Hurricane Tracker App (@hurrtrackerapp) August 27, 2020
As of 8 a.m. Friday, the tropical wave in question was approximately 900 miles east of the Windward Islands, moving about 15 miles per hour toward eastern Caribbean Islands.
Some development may be possible for a separate disturbance located west of the Cabo Verde Islands in the Atlantic, but the NOAA has estimated that it has a similarly low 30 percent chance of forming into a tropical depression.
These developments are part of an especially active hurricane season, NOAA reports, which is expected to peak on Sept. 10. It will officially end on Nov. 30.
Hurricane Laura barrelled up the Gulf of Mexico, ripping into coastal communities in Louisiana and Texas. So far, six fatalities have been reported in Louisiana as a result of the storm. Laura was designated as a Category 4 hurricane which brought storm surges, 150 mph winds and intense rainfall.
Both Louisiana and Texas declared states of emergency, and are working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deploy emergency aid to affected communities.
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