The Atlantic hurricane season of 2024 remains vigorous as we enter October, which is usually the peak month for hurricanes in Florida.

Currently, the only named storm is the distant and strengthening Tropical Storm Kirk. The National Hurricane Center is also tracking two additional tropical disturbances, one of which is located in the Caribbean Sea.

This developing system is particularly concerning for the U.S., as it may be upgraded to a named storm in the Gulf of Mexico by next week, according to meteorologists.

This activity follows the catastrophic impacts of Hurricane Helene, which struck Florida last week, causing heavy rains and flooding in the Appalachian region. As of Tuesday morning, over a million people were still without power.

Monitoring Kirk

The hurricane center reported on Tuesday morning that Kirk was situated about 935 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands, with maximum sustained winds of around 60 mph. The storm is expected to continue its west-northwest trajectory through Tuesday night before gradually shifting northwestward on Wednesday and Thursday.

“Kirk is projected to strengthen into a hurricane by tonight and may reach major hurricane status by Thursday,” the NHC noted on Tuesday morning.

Current models suggest Kirk will curve north into the mid-Atlantic, well away from the U.S. coast.

Atlantic Storm Overview

NHC Closely Watching Caribbean System

Forecasters are also focusing on a low-pressure trough that is generating scattered showers and thunderstorms in the northwestern Caribbean Sea.

The hurricane center indicated on Tuesday that conditions might allow for gradual development of this system. “A tropical depression could form in the coming days as it travels northwest over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and the southern Gulf of Mexico,” stated the center in its Tuesday forecast.

Over the next week, one to two tropical storms could emerge from this system and may impact parts of the southeastern U.S., which have already been heavily affected by Hurricane Helene, according to AccuWeather.

“Residents along the U.S. Gulf Coast should keep an eye on this system’s progress,” the NHC advised, giving it a 40 percent chance of development within the next week.

Another System: Hello Leslie?

A separate system, known as Invest 91L, was located a few hundred miles south of the Cabo Verde Islands as of Tuesday. This system is generating showers and thunderstorms that show some potential for organization due to a broad low-pressure area, according to the NHC on Tuesday morning.

The hurricane center stated that conditions appear favorable for further development, with a tropical depression expected to form in the next couple of days as it slowly moves west over the eastern tropical Atlantic.

The NHC has assessed the system to have an 80 percent chance of formation within the next 48 hours and a 90 percent likelihood over the next week.

If this system develops into a tropical storm, it is likely to be named Leslie.

(This article has been updated with the latest information.)