The National Hurricane Center this week continued to monitor the possibility that a tropical depression could form in the Gulf of Mexico.

It’s the last thing people in the Southeast want to hear after the devastating Hurricane Helene. It’s too early to say whether there’s cause for concern – and where it might lead.

The hurricane center put the chance of a tropical depression forming next week at 40 percent on Monday morning. That’s down from 50 percent earlier today.

The hurricane center also contended with several other storms in the central and eastern Atlantic on Monday, including Tropical Storm Isaac, Tropical Depression Joyce and Tropical Depression 12. None posed a threat to the U.S. or any land area in general, but meteorologists believe they did , that Tropical Depression 12 could develop into a strong hurricane this week.

The Caribbean system was of greatest concern to Americans

A widespread area of ​​low pressure was observed over the western Caribbean on Monday. It is expected to move west-northwest and could develop into a tropical depression later this week.

The hurricane center is not yet in the process of issuing warnings or forecasts, but suggests the disturbance could spread toward the central Gulf of Mexico by the end of the forecast period.

Forecasters said those along the U.S. Gulf Coast should keep an eye on this system this week. However, they added that “the timeline for potential development was later pushed back towards the end of the week or this weekend.”

The National Weather Service in Tallahassee, which covers southeast Alabama and is in recovery mode from Hurricane Helene, observed the disturbance Monday. Meteorologists said the path of the disturbance is very uncertain because it has not yet formed, “but trends show a generally slow drift toward the Gulf Coast.” Whatever the development, people should monitor the progress of this system while keeping in mind an increase in the “Expect a chance of rain as associated moisture spreads across parts of the region from the end of this week.”

OTHER STORMS IN THE ATLANTIC

Elsewhere in the Atlantic, the hurricane center was also monitoring Tropical Storm Isaac, which was once a Category 2 hurricane but was weakening in the North Atlantic as it moved east. Isaac never directly influenced the country.

Much further south was Tropical Depression Joyce, which peaked as a tropical storm in the central Atlantic and is expected to become a remnant low today.

On the other hand, Tropical Depression 12, which was located several hundred miles southeast of Joyce, is expected to strengthen. The hurricane center said it could develop into a major hurricane later this week. It is expected to remain in the open Atlantic this week and not threaten land.

It will most likely get the next name on the 2024 Storm list: Kirk.

Finally, meteorologists located a disturbance between the Cabo Verde Islands and the west coast of Africa. It could develop into a tropical depression later this week and track west-northwest across the open Atlantic. This week it will not endanger the country.

The Atlantic hurricane season is typically busy in October and ends on November 30th.