A tropical depression could form next week in the Atlantic, hurricane forecasters said Friday morning.
It's too early to tell if it could reach the Gulf of Mexico.
As of 7 a.m., a tropical wave was over the eastern Atlantic and was producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. It's moving west at 15 mph, and forecasters said a tropical depression could form during the early to middle part of next week.
The system is expected to reach the Windward Islands and then the Caribbean next week.
It has a 60% chance of developing into at least a tropical depression within five days.
The next available storm name is Bonnie if it strengthens into a tropical storm.
The shaded area on the graphic is where a storm could develop and is not a track. The National Hurricane Center releases a track when a tropical depression forms or is about to form.
The categories, in order of increasing strength, are tropical depression, tropical storm and hurricane (categories 1 through 5).
No other systems are expected to develop within 48 hours in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean or Atlantic, forecasters said.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
Tips to prepare
Now is the time to review hurricane plans and make sure your property is ready for hurricane season. Here are some tips from the National Weather Service for how to prepare for the season:
- Put together an emergency kit.
- Check emergency equipment, such as flashlights, generators and storm shutters.
- Before an emergency happens, make a plan with your family or close friends and decide how you will get in touch and where you will go if there's an emergency.
- Plan your evacuation route and have an alternate route.
- Review your insurance policies.
- Keep your trees around your home trimmed to prevent damage from broken branches.
- Have materials in advance to board windows to protect them from flying debris.
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