The Virgin Islands (VI) Department of Disaster Management (DDM) has released new weather data on two disturbances working its way towards the region, as the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season progresses. Photo: DDM

List of hurricane names for the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane season. Photo: Internet Source

Disturbance 1

As of Saturday, August 29, 2020, Disturbance 1, a well-defined tropical wave located along 54W, or about 1443 miles east southeast of the Virgin Islands. It is moving to the west near 15 mph, the DDM said. 

"This tropical wave will move across the Lesser Antilles into the eastern Caribbean on Sunday. Although the wave is well defined, thunderstorms are somewhat limited in coverage and disorganized. It appears that the best chance of development will be when this disturbance pushes into the western Caribbean late next week as it approaches the Yucatan," the update noted. 

So far, forecast models have indicated a track westward across the Yucatan and into Mexico, but there is no guarantee of a westward track, however, there is a 30 per cent chance of development over the next seven days.

Disturbance 2

"Disturbance 2 is located near latitude 12 degrees north, longitude 25 degrees west or approximately 2654 miles east southeast of the British Virgin Islands. The disturbance will be rather slow to move across the eastern Atlantic through early next week. It is forecast to move to the west-northwest across the Atlantic later next week."

According to the DDM, that disturbance may develop into a tropical depression or tropical storm over the eastern and central Atlantic for the latter half of next week.

They said it may pass to the northeast of the northern Leeward Islands in about 10 days, however, conditions can change with a 40 per cent chance of tropical development over the next seven days.