Tracking the tropics: Sam, 3 other areas being watched
Tropical Storm Sam forecast to become major hurricane
Forecasters are watching several areas in the Atlantic on Sept. 23, 2021.
(FOX Weather)
The Atlantic hurricane season remains busy Thursday with forecasters monitoring four areas – a tropical storm, the remnants of a tropical storm and two low-pressure systems.
Here’s what you need to know about each of the systems.
Sam
The forecast for Tropical Storm Sam as of Sept. 23, 2021.
(FOX Weather)
Tropical Storm Sam formed Thursday morning, less than 24 hours after its preceding tropical depression designation.
It is located more than 1,700 miles away from the Leeward Islands and has winds of 50 mph. It's moving west at 16 mph.
This will be the storm to watch. The forecast calls for steady strengthening through the weekend. It’s expected to become a major hurricane – Category 3 or higher – by Tuesday morning.
Models are diverging a bit in recent runs, but most agree that the system will begin curving north of the Caribbean.
Spaghetti plots for Tropical Storm Sam as of Sept. 23, 2021.
(FOX Weather)
However, the European and GFS models have drastically different solutions for the future location of the system.
The location of what will eventually become Hurricane Sam, according to the Sept. 23, 2021, runs of the GFS and European models.
(FOX Weather)
Remnants of Odette
The outlook for the remnants of Tropical Storm Odette as of Sept. 23, 2021.
(FOX Weather)
The leftovers of what was once Tropical Storm Odette are still being watched for possible redevelopment in the northern Atlantic.
The cluster of storms is located more than 600 miles west-northwest of the Azores.
Forecasters have given this area a 60% chance of development within two days and the same chance of development within five days.
2 other systems
Forecasters are watching a tropical wave that is expected to emerge from Africa later this week. It has a 30% chance of development within the next five days.
A cluster of storms a few hundred miles southeast of Bermuda is also being monitored. It has a 10% chance of development within five days.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs through the end of November.