Showers near Bahamas has chance of becoming tropical system

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The Atlantic hurricane season doesn’t officially start until June 1, but some activity is brewing ahead of schedule.

An area of disturbed weather near the Bahamas has a slight chance of developing into a tropical depression or storm over the next 5 days – the National Hurricane Center estimates that chance at 20 percent.

According to the NHC, “little development is expected during the next couple of days as the system moves generally northwestward” toward Florida.

WWAY HURRICANE CENTER

After that, “some slow development is possible” as the disturbance turns away from the coast and moves over the western Atlantic.

A trough of low pressure over the NW Bahamas has a low chance of becoming a tropical cyclone once it moves over the western Atlantic later this week. Locally heavy rains are possible over portions of the Bahamas and Florida during the next couple of days https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/zamD0rsXGA

— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) May 1, 2019

It’s unlikely for eastern North Carolina to experience any direct effects from this early-season system, regardless of development.

But a secondary influence will be noticeable in the form of increased humidity by the end of the week and over the weekend.

That humidity will help to fuel scattered storms in southeastern North Carolina as early as Friday, more likely over the weekend as a cold front moves in from the west to help spark the storms.

Now is the time to have a plan, review your insurance policy, and begin creating your hurricane kit for the upcoming season. It’s always better to prepare now than have to prepare later.