As reported by TBO.com
Right now, it’s being called a vigorous low pressure system. In the next day or two, it could be called Tropical Storm Emily.
“We have a plane in the area right now, but it still has not found that closed low-level circulation,” said Dennis Feltgen, spokesman for the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
At issue is a mass of clouds located about 300 miles east of Martinique this morning. Moving west-northwest at about 15 mph, it has a 90 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone in the next 24 to 48 hours.
No matter what it’s called, it will bring strong winds and heavy rains to the Lesser Antilles today, Feltgen said. After that, it’s unknown where it might go.
“It really depends on the weather pattern that is set up at the time,” Feltgen said.
As the calendar turns to August today, the hurricane season typically heats up even more.
Aug. 10 is on average the date the first hurricane forms, according to the hurricane center spokesman.
This season already is busier than a typical season.
The fourth named storm doesn’t usually form until Aug. 23, Feltgen said. The fourth named storm of the 2011 season, Don, formed last week. The fifth named storm doesn’t typically form until Aug. 31. If Tropical Storm Emily is born this week, it will be about four weeks ahead of schedule.