WEATHER WATCH – Four named storms, one depression and two other systems

The Atlantic is packed with activity today with four named storms, one depression and two other weather systems churning in the North Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

This morning the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) based in Miami issued advisories on Hurricane Paulette, located near Bermuda; Tropical Depression Rene, located over the Central Atlantic; Tropical Storm Sally, centered over the north-central Gulf of Mexico; recently upgraded Tropical Storm Teddy, located over the east-central tropical Atlantic; and on newly formed Tropical Depression Twenty-One, located over the eastern tropical Atlantic.

The forecasters were also monitoring disorganised showers and thunderstorms over the western and southwestern Gulf of Mexico, associated with a weak area of low pressure. However development of this system was “not expected due to strong upper-level winds while it moves slowly southwestward and then southward over the western Gulf of Mexico during the next few days.”

The other system was a tropical wave near the west coast of Africa which is producing disorganised shower and thunderstorm activity. “Environmental conditions appear to be conducive for slow development of the system this week as the wave moves westward at about 10 mph over the far eastern tropical Atlantic,” the NHC reported.

There have been 19 named storms so far this Atlantic Hurricane Season – Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana and Omar; while Paulette, Rene, Sally and Teddy are currently churning in the North Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. (NHC/BT)