Tropical Storm Kirk forms in far-east Atlantic Ocean

Systems swirl in tropics, but impact likely limited in US

MIAMI – There's a lot swirling around out there, but not cause much for significant concern. The weather system most likely to have some effect on the U.S. is Invest No. 98L, and it's expected to be limited. Also, Tropical Storm Kirk has formed in the far-east Atlantic Ocean.

Invest No. 98L is a low-pressure system that formed from a combination of the remnants of Hurricane Florence and a cold front. It is forecast to organize slowly, if at all, and loop toward the North Carolina coast, arriving about Tuesday. The main effect is expected to be increased moisture in eastern North Carolina, meaning a better chance of rain for some of the areas that flooded, unfortunately.

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Tropical Storm Kirk was found by satellite to have enough circulation and strong enough winds to skip right to tropical storm status.  It is far enough south to avoid the hostile conditions in much of the tropical Atlantic as it moves to the west toward the Caribbean. It is more than five days away from the islands.  The system’s long-term prospects appear bleak due to hostile upper-level winds across the Caribbean, but we will have to watch it toward the end of next week to be sure.

Tropical Depression No. 11 formed out of a small disturbance a few hundred miles east of the eastern Caribbean islands. It attained just enough organization to be upgraded to a depression, but it is expected to have a short life. The system is expected to dissipate in the next day or so.

A potential disturbance is expected to organize and strengthen in the middle of the Atlantic mostly from an upper-level low-pressure system. As it meanders around out there for a week or more, the warm ocean water is likely to allow the system to attain enough tropical characteristics to get a name. It will not threaten the U.S.

The next name on the list is Leslie.