By Elainie Barraza
Orlando Sentinel
(Orlando Sentinel) — The National Hurricane Center continues to track Tropical Storm Gordon and another system expected to form this weekend off the southeastern U.S. coastline.
As of the NHC’s 11 a.m. advisory, the center of Gordon is about 1,195 miles west-northwest of the Cape Verde Islands with maximum sustained wind speeds of 45 mph as it moves west-northwest at 9 mph.
“Some weakening is anticipated over the next day or so, and Gordon is forecast to become a depression by early Sunday,” forecasters said. “Gradual restrengthening is possible by the middle part of next week.”
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles to the north of the center. The system is not a threat to land.
The NHC is also tracking a system with a chance of forming into a tropical cyclone a few hundred miles off the southeastern U.S. coastline. The system could gradually acquire subtropical or tropical characteristics thereafter over the warm waters of the golf stream.
A subtropical or tropical depression or storm could form early next week as the system moves generally northwestward toward the coast.
The NHC gives the system a 30% chance of developing in the next two days and a 50% chance of developing within seven.
If it forms, it could become Tropical Storm Helene adding to the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season that has produced seven systems so far including four hurricanes and three tropical storms.
The season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
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