TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season could be off to an early start. The National Hurricane Center is currently monitoring two areas of potential development.
The first disturbance is in the Atlantic and is moving toward warm waters.
The disturbance, which is about 500 miles east-northeast of Bermuda, has a 90% chance of formation in the next 48 hours, according to the NHC’s latest tropical weather outlook.
“The low has not yet acquired subtropical storm characteristics. However, if current trends continue, advisories could be initiated on the system later today or tonight as it moves westward to west-southwestward to the northeast of Bermuda,” the NHC said. “Subsequently, the low is forecast to move northeastward into a more hostile environment by Saturday night or Sunday.” It already has tropical storm force winds but does not have any tropical characteristics.
If it develops tropical or subtropical characteristics, it would get a name.
A second system is being monitored in the Gulf of Mexico and the NHC is giving this a 60% chance of developing in the next two and the five days.
This system is well west of the Tampa Bay area. It could develop into a tropical depression or storm briefly before the disturbance moves ashore in Texas or Louisiana. Regardless of development, it will bring abundant moisture and flooding threat to an already rain soaked area.
It is impossible to tell which system could develop first. The first two names on the 2021 list are Ana and Bill. Neither will impact Florida.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June through November, but the past six seasons have all had at least one named storm form before June 1.