BALTIMORE — The Atlantic Basin is heating up as the National Hurricane Center is tracking three areas of concern. One is in the Gulf of Mexico, while the other two are still off to the east of the Windward Islands. Out of the three, only one is producing tropical force winds and expected to become a tropical cyclone in the next few days. The NHC has tagged this system Potential Tropical Cyclone (PTC) 2.
PTC 2 is forecast to become a low end hurricane over the next 5 days but will pose no threat to the United states. The cone of certainty is showing that the system will pass over the southern Caribbean Sea and clipping the coast of Venezuela as it heads towards Central America.
Strengthening does look to take some time as it enter the more favorable environment in the southern portion of the Atlantic Basin which means it could spare many of the Caribbean islands that would be in its path.
Some may be wondering if there is a chance that it would turn and head closer to the United States, but thanks to a large high pressure system setting up near the east coast steers it to the west. This is the same high pressure that will bring the Mid-Atlantic the hot and humid air for the weekend, so it gives some and it takes some.
All in all, we are still spared for the mean time with as the tropical weather stays in the tropics.
