Tropical Storm Lorenzo first formed as a tropical wave last week. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began to monitor the system off the coast of Africa. The wave moved into the Atlantic Ocean where a depression formed a few days later before it strengthened once again into a tropical storm. Now the National Hurricane Center is forecasting the storm will develop into a forbidding hurricane, but what is the latest news on the predicted path for the storm?
As of 11am AST (4pm BST), the NOAA said Lorenzo was moving west northwestwards of the eastern Tropical Atlantic.
The NHC recorded Lorenzo’s location as near latitude 12.4 north, longitude 29.3 west, which is roughly 370 miles west southwest from the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands.
According to the forecaster, Tropical Storm Lorenzo is forecast to become “a large and powerful hurricane”.
Lorenzo had recorded maximum sustained wind speeds of 65mph and was moving west northwestward at 16mph.
Forecasters predict the twister will reach hurricane force today and could become a major hurricane on Thursday.
Currently, tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 150 miles from the eye of the storm.
The motion and forward speed of the storm is expected to continue through early Thursday.
The NOAA advisory reads: “Strengthening is forecast during the next several days, and Lorenzo is expected to become a hurricane by Wednesday, and a major hurricane on Thursday.”
While the storm currently poses no real threat to land this week, it is expected to strengthen rapidly, potentially becoming the season’s third major hurricane by the weekend.
The next advisory for the storm will be issued at 5pm AST (10pm BST).
Elsewhere in the Atlantic, the NOAA are monitoring two other tropical storms: Karen and Jerry.
Tropical Storm Karen, currently located around 75 miles from St Croix and 85 miles from San Juan, Puerto Rico, is expected to bring heavy rainfall, flash floods and mudslides to Puerto Rico and the US and British Virgin Islands today.
Tropical storm warnings are in effect for the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, including Vieques and Culebra and the British Virgin Islands.
Karen has maximum sustained winds of 40mph and it is expected to intensify over the next 48 hours.
Tropical Storm Jerry is a strong tropical storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 60mph.
The eye of the storm is forecast to weaken, but is expected to bring tropical storm conditions in Bermuda, where the centre of the storm is expected to pass closeby, a warning is in effect.
Tropical-storm-force winds currently extend outward up to 185 miles (295 km) from the centre and life-threatening surf conditions are anticipated as a by-product of the storm.
Jerry is forecast to unleash one to three inches of rainfall across Bermuda tomorrow which could cause “life-threatening rip currents”.
The NOAA is alspo monitoring a disturbance located near the north coast of the Yucatan peninsula.
This area of low pressure is producing a small area of disorganised showers and thunderstorms.
Some slow development of the low is possible while it moves slowly westward at five to 10mph across the southwestern Gulf of Mexico during the next few days before it reaches the northeast coast of Mexico late Friday or Saturday.
The chance of formation through 48 hours is 10 percent, while the chance of formation over five days is 20 percent.