Invest 98L designated in Atlantic as tropical threat looms in Caribbean
The NHC said it's likely that 98L will likely gradually develop, though for now the agency says odds are still "low" of reaching at least tropical depression status within the next week.
Invest 98L tracks towards Caribbean
HURRICANE HQ 🌀: FOX Weather Meteorologist Haley Meier breaks down Invest 98L as it moves towards the Caribbean. The National Hurricane Center designated a tropical wave in the Atlantic as Invest 98L on Saturday.
MIAMI – The National Hurricane Center designated a tropical wave in the Atlantic as Invest 98L on Saturday as it slowly crept toward the Caribbean.
The term "invest" is used by the NHC to identify weather disturbances they are investigating for possible development into a tropical depression or tropical storm within the next seven days. Additionally, the designation allows them to run special hurricane computer forecast models on the system.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, 98L is slowly tracking west through the Atlantic towards the Caribbean Sea and is unusually far south and east for this time of the year, although system movements similar to that of 98L occasionally occur. The main driver of the unusual movement is a large area of high pressure centered over the eastern Atlantic basin.
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Invest 98L is located roughly 800 miles east of the Windward Islands and is moving west at 20 mph.
The NHC said it's likely that 98L will likely gradually develop, though for now the agency says odds are still "low" of reaching at least tropical depression status within the next week.
Regardless of development, the system should arrive near the Windward Islands by Monday and is expected to bring heavy rain and gusty winds.
"The bottom line is that the odds of the system affecting the mainland U.S. are very low," said FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross. "The only imaginable scenarios are beyond our ability to forecast. Residents in Puerto Rico and the surrounding islands should plan to pay attention next week. And, of course, there's a potential impact in Central America as well."
According to the FOX Forecast Center, in the event the storm develops it will have fuel to work with as Caribbean waters are extremely warm.
Area to watch in North Atlantic
Additionally, the NHC is watching an area to watch for development in the North Atlantic. This area is a non-tropical area of low pressure several hundred miles off the Northeast coast that the Hurricane Center said may take on some tropical characteristics in the coming days.
This system is expected to head out to sea and has a low chance of development.
"It's not a direct threat to land, but it is generating strong swells, which will produce dangerous currents along East Coast beaches from Canada to Florida," Norcross said.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TROPICAL DEPRESSION, TROPICAL STORM AND HURRICANE?
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If either area to watch progresses into a tropical storm or hurricane, it'll be named Melissa, the 13th named storm of the Atlantic season.
The official end of the Atlantic Hurricane season is Nov. 30.