The Caribbean should get its first test for the 2023 North Atlantic Hurricane Season next week, as a tropical wave just emerging from West Africa is poised to strengthen in the coming days.

Meteorologists at the Miami-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) note that while the system is disorganised as of Friday (June 16), environmental conditions are favourable.

“A tropical wave located between the west coast of Africa and the Cabo Verde Islands is producing disorganised showers and thunderstorms. Environmental conditions appear to be conducive for
gradual development, and a tropical depression could form during the early to middle portions of next week while the system moves westward at [28 km/h] across the eastern and central tropical
Atlantic,” the NHC indicated.

Formation chances, at 50 per cent, are listed as ‘medium’ over the next seven days, with current projections plotting it to pass just north of Barbados.

The next available name on the hurricane list is Bret.

Two other tropical waves, located over the central and eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean, are moving westward but are expected to fizzle.

In an abundance of caution, the meteorological agencies of St Lucia, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago has placed the system on their respective radars.