Meteorologists announced Saturday that two emerging weather systems off the coast of Africa could turn into major hurricanes before mid-September.
The main system meteorologists are focusing on is named Tropical Depression Katia, which is clinging over the Atlantic just off the shores of west Africa, according to AccuWeather. Ideally, Katia will continue her journey over the ocean and dissipate before growing into a full-scale hurricane and making landfall.
But another tropical disturbance, known as a tropical wave, started developing in the same region in early September. Though it may take days to cross the Atlantic, it could develop into a storm system and strike the Caribbean Islands, or move northwards toward the United States.
Meteorologists are keeping an eye on a new system emerging from the coast of Africa that may ramp up to a hurricane and eye the Caribbean Islands and the United States before mid-September.
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— AccuWeather (@accuweather) September 3, 2023
“We call this a period of ‘active rest’ in the Atlantic, where there are multiple tropical features, but none are a threat to the U.S. in the short term,” AccuWeather chief on-air meteorologist Bernie Rayno said of the systems.
Meteorologists are nervous that the second system could gain enough energy to become a Tropical Storm or Hurricane, depending on which direction it moves over the coming days. “If that storm [the Lee candidate] ends up traveling north of the Lesser Antilles, then a U.S. strike late next week is unlikely,” Rayno continued. “However, if the storm makes it into the Caribbean Sea or moves westward along the northern islands of the Caribbean, then the risk of direct impact or perhaps a landfall in the U.S. around Sept. 14-15 would be much greater.” (RELATED: Videos Show Early Stages Of Hurricane Idalia Making Destructive Landfall In Florida)
Florida is still recovering from Hurricane Idalia, which made landfall on Aug. 30 as a Category 3 storm. Though it rapidly diminished to a Category 2, damage to the state was extensive.