Tropical Storm Patty May Take Shape Next Week

Tropical Storm Oscar is currently making its way toward the Bahamas, while meteorologists are keeping a close watch on the Caribbean. There’s a possibility of a new system developing into Tropical Storm Patty next week.

According to a report from AccuWeather, a specific zone in the Caribbean is creating favorable conditions for this potential formation. AccuWeather’s Chief Meteorologist Bernie Rayno noted, “We suspect there will be another attempt for a tropical depression or tropical storm to brew in the western Caribbean during the middle to the latter part of next week.”

Typically, storms that form in late October or early November in this area tend to either head toward Central America or curve toward Cuba, Hispaniola, and the Bahamas. If this new storm follows the latter trajectory, Cuba could face more severe weather, especially after being affected by Oscar’s rains and winds just recently. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) reported that Oscar has sustained winds of 40 mph and is likely to cause life-threatening floods in parts of Cuba into midweek.

This unfolding situation comes on the heels of a tumultuous few weeks for Florida, which experienced two major hurricanes: Hurricane Helene in late September and Hurricane Milton shortly thereafter. Both storms underwent rapid intensification, with Helene hitting Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 hurricane and Milton striking near Siesta Key as a Category 3.

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season runs through November, and meteorologists from AccuWeather have noted that warm water temperatures in the Caribbean could fuel future storm developments. Coupled with low wind shear, this situation could facilitate the slow formation of Patty, similar to what we’ve seen with Nadine and Oscar.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had forecasted between 17 and 25 named storms this season. Since the initial prediction, they’ve slightly adjusted their estimate to 17 to 24 storms. Remarkably, there have already been 15 named storms recorded this hurricane season.