HOLT, Fla., July 5, 2018–The second tropical depression of the 2018 hurricane season has developed in the Atlantic Ocean.
This small area of low pressure has been in the National Hurricane Center’s crosshairs for the past couple of days.
The NHC official forecast allows for some slight strengthening of the system to become Tropical Storm Beryl within the next 24 hours.
However, while the depression will be located in a relatively low-shear environment for the next three days or so, the small storm is surrounded by abundant dry air and the system will be moving over marginally warm waters during the next few days, which could both limit intensification, according to the NHC.
Between 72 and 96 hours, the system is expected to begin encountering strong westerly shear and also accelerate, both of which should cause it to degenerate into an open tropical wave east of the Lesser Antilles.
This small system is moving west at 16 mph with maximum winds of 35 mph.
NHC forecast