ORLANDO, Fla. – We’re keeping a close eye on a tropical wave moving through the eastern Caribbean.
This disturbance, known as Invest 98L, was a few hundred miles west of the Windward Islands early Monday and was producing a broad area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms packing winds of 30 to 40 mph.
Satellite imagery still shows it lacking a closed center of circulation as it quickly tracks west.
The wave is expected to slow down as it moves into the central Caribbean. That’s when environmental conditions become more favorable for tropical development, and a tropical depression or storm is likely to form over the next day or two.
Regardless of development, heavy rain and gusty winds are already impacting parts of the Windward and Leeward islands and will continue through the day.
- Chance of formation in the next 48 hours: 90%
- Chance of formation over the next 7 days: 90%
If the system does organize, it could become Melissa, the next named storm of the season.
Floridians should keep close tabs on this system as the latest forecast models disagree on its overall path through the end of October.