Formación de ciclones en el Atlántico: dos perturbaciones se encaminan a Cuba

Forecasters at the Miami National Hurricane Center are tracking two tropical disturbances moving in the Atlantic Ocean toward the Caribbean islands, one of which is more likely to become a tropical storm and head toward Cuba and the United States. 

Although it is already being monitored, officials in Miami clarify that it is too early to know if it could be a threat to the island and other territories on the North American coast. The areas shaded in yellow in the graphic at the top of this article show where the storm could develop. But there is still no forecast cone because the National Hurricane Center does not plot it until a tropical depression forms or is about to form.

One of the disturbances was given a high probability, 70, of becoming a storm in the next 48 hours. The categories, in order of increasing strength, are tropical depression, tropical storm, and hurricane (categories 1 to 5). Systems are given a name when they become a tropical storm. The next available name is Fred. 

This tropical wave is moving over the central-western Atlantic and is producing light rains along its path. Initially, meteorologists did not expect much development for the system, as it moves from west to northwest across the Lesser Antilles and the eastern Caribbean Sea. 

But one day later, they believe it will become a depression by nighttime and move through the southern Caribbean islands by midweek, where it will gain strength. They indicate that Puerto Rico and the nearby islands should be alert to the development of this system. 

Of the other disturbance, which is marked on the map and appears to be a bit more delayed, slow development is expected over the eastern Atlantic by midweek. On the morning of August 9, the system was producing light rains about 1,000 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands. It was expected to move west to northwest over the central Atlantic.

The next available name is Fred. Systems are named when they strengthen and become tropical storms. Tropical storms Ana, Bill, Claudette, Danny, and Elsa already formed earlier this season. Elsa was the first hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic Basin season and directly affected Cuba, entering through the southern coast of Matanzas. 

Last year, 2020, there were so many storms that the forecasters ran out of names and had to use the Greek alphabet. It is only the second time in recorded history that Greek names have been used.