Tropical Storm Helene may soon develop in Atlantic; Caribbean urged to track this storm

The Atlantic is about to give birth to a new tropical storm that may threaten some of the islands in the Caribbean during the middle to latter part of next week.

The next names on the list of tropical storms for the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season are Helene and Isaac, following Gordon and Florence.

The new feature of interest is a strong tropical disturbance, known as a tropical wave, just west of the Cabo Verde Islands.

"Satellite images of this feature look impressive on Thursday, so we may have a new tropical depression or storm at any time now," Kottlowski said.

Steering winds over the Atlantic are likely to guide this feature on a westerly track through this weekend. During next week, a slightly more northwest track may develop.

There is a significant chance this feature may become a hurricane along the way.

Because of the potential close proximity of the path of the feature, interests in the northern Caribbean Islands to the Bahamas, the United States and Bermuda should monitor this feature and keep up-to-date with other happening in the tropical Atlantic.

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Waters are warm enough to support development and strengthening in the coming days. Wind shear may vary along the path of the storm, which can cause fluctuations in strength.

Wind shear is the increase in wind speed at either increasing elevation or horizontal distance.

In the wake of the feature west of Cabo Verde, another disturbance will move off the coast of Africa and may develop over the next several days. There is the possibility that this second feature, east of Cabo Verde, strengthens into a tropical storm first, claiming the name of Helene.

This would mean the storm that could track towards the Carribbean would be named Isaac.

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