NHC puts Tropical Storm Nigel and New Tropical Wave under observation

Tropical Storm Nigel is now making the rounds after Hurricane Lee, taking the US National Hurricane Center’s attention. According to the NHC Tropical Storm Nigel is gaining momentum and the manner in which it continues to strengthen indicates that it will turn into a hurricane by Monday.

In its latest update, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) stated that Nigel is approximately 980 miles northeast of the Lesser Antilles. As of now, no coastal watch or warning has been placed in the Caribbean Region.

At 5 AM AST (0900 UTC), the eye of Tropical Storm Nigel was near latitude 23.0 North, longitude 48.6 West. Nigel is expected to continue its general northwest to north-northwest motion for the next few days, moving at roughly 14mph or 22kmph.

The next 48 hours are crucial as it has been said that Tropical Storm Nigel is expected to strengthen significantly with in this time span. As mentioned previously, Nigel is also expected to graduate to Hurricane status on Monday.

Nigel is also producing tropical storm force winds which extend to a radius of 140 miles or 220 kms from the center.

Some positive news has also come out of the NHC which stated that Tropical Storm Margot is likely to degenerate to a post tropical cyclone within the next few hours and is unlikely to last much longer.

Heavy gusts of wind still continue to move through portions of the Atlantic due to post tropical storm Lee, which is dissipating progressively and is likely to fizzle out by Tuesday.

Apart from these storm systems, the US National Hurricane Center is also keeping an eye on a tropical wave which is said to be moving off the west coast of Africa on Wednesday.

According to the NHC weather conditions in the Atlantic are such that it is likely for the wave to develop gradually. If so, it will likely result in a tropical depression which could form later this week or by next weekend as the system moves westward across the eastern tropical Atlantic.

As of now, the disturbance is said to have a 0% chance of formation in the time span oof the next 48 hours. In the next seven days though there is a much higher, 40% chance of formation.

In general, the last few weeks have been interesting for the National Hurricane Center and the weather watch of Caribbean nations as well, considering the excitement brought by Hurricane Lee and the tropical storms that followed. As we speak, the NHC and various other institutions are in the process of monitoring various depressions and forming weather systems in the Atlantic and beyond.