A new tropical depression has a high chance to develop in the coming days while Tropical Depression Sean is set to dissipate, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The developing system is an area of low pressure located several hundred miles southwest of the Cape Verde Islands in the Atlantic with more concentrated and better organized showers and thunderstorms.
“Environmental conditions are becoming more conducive for further development, and a tropical depression is likely to form within the next couple of days while the system moves westward or west-northwestward across the central and western tropical Atlantic,” forecasters said.
The NHC gives it a 70% chance to develop in the next two days and 90% in the next seven.
If it grows into named-storm status, it could become Tropical Storm Tammy.
It would make it the 20th official system of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season which includes an unnamed subtropical storm in January and 18 storms that have used letters from the official 21-letter list for the year from the World Meteorological Organization. After Tammy, the remaining names on the list are Vince and Whitney.
Tropical Storm Sean, though, is hanging on, but expected to fall apart in the coming days in the middle of the Atlantic.
As of 5 p.m., the center of Sean was located about 1,210 miles east of the Caribbean’s northern Leeward Islands moving west-northwest at 9 mph with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.
Its tropical-storm-force winds extend out 70 miles.
“A northwestward motion is expected today and tonight. A turn back toward the west-northwest is forecast on Sunday,” forecaster said. “Weakening is anticipated, and Sean will likely become a post-tropical remnant low by late this weekend.”
The 2023 Atlantic #hurricane season has already produced 89 named storm (e.g., tropical storm and #hurricane) days. That's the 5th most in the satellite era (since 1966) through October 13, trailing in order from most: 1995, 2005, 2020, 2004. #Sean pic.twitter.com/mOFUTnuksQ
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) October 13, 2023
The hurricane season runs from June 1-Nov. 30, although storms that fall outside that six-month run in the calendar year are considered part of the 2023 season.
The year’s above-average tropical output keeps it in the top 5 during the satellite era, said Colorado State University hurricane expert Philip Klotzbach.
Through Oct. 13, the year had produced 89 days with either an active tropical storm or hurricane, putting it behind in order, 1995, 2005, 2020 and 2004, he said.
