A broad area of low-pressure about 700 miles east-southeast of the Windward Islands is likely to develop in the next few days, and though it currently appears to be on a heading that will take it south of the Virgin Islands, it’s still something residents of the territory should keep an eye on.
Showers and thunderstorms associated with the system are gradually becoming better organized, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 8 p.m. Monday report. Environmental conditions remain conducive for development, and a tropical depression is likely to form during the next day or two while the
system moves westward to west-northwestward near 20 mph, forecasters said.
The 8 p.m. update gave the system an 80 percent chance of development in the next 48 hours, 98 percent in the next five days.
The NHC said interests in the eastern and central Caribbean Sea, including the
northern coast of South America, should monitor the progress of the system.
"Regardless of development, heavy rains and strong gusty winds, possibly to tropical storm force, are expected to spread over the Windward Islands and portions of the southern Lesser Antilles beginning late Tuesday or Wednesday," according to the report.
An Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to investigate the disturbance on Tuesday afternoon.
