Systems Likely To Strengthen Into Tropical Depressions Later This Week

WUSF | By Carl Lisciandrello

Published August 18, 2020 at 10:54 PM EDT

Forecasters are monitoring two tropical waves that could further develop later this week as they move west – and possibly toward the Gulf of Mexico.

One is located in the eastern Caribbean, and the other in the deep Tropical Atlantic.

Megan Borowski, a meteorologist with the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network, said both waves are expected to develop this week.

"The environment ahead of both of these systems should allow their thunderstorm activity to concentrate and intensify,” Borowski said. “It's highly likely that both will become at least tropical depressions by the weekend."

According to the National Hurricane Center, the tropical wave in the Caribbean has a 70% chance of strengthening into a tropical depression late this week as it reaches the northwestern Caribbean Sea.

Forecasters say the system in the Atlantic has an 80% chance of developing by Thursday.

Borowski said neither poses an immediate threat to the U.S., but both could track toward the Southeast of Mexico next week.