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Tropical Wave Develops In Eastern Caribbean

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By NEIL JOHNSON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 22, 2008

TAMPA - The National Hurricane Center is watching a tropical wave in the eastern Caribbean Sea that has the potential to become a tropical depression or storm.

The center sent a hurricane hunter aircraft into the area Sunday.

The wave was south of Puerto Rico, about 1,050 miles south-southeast of Miami and was moving slowly north-northwest with winds of about 25 mph.

The wave became better organized Saturday night and during the day Sunday but radar from Puerto Rico showed it lacked a well-developed center, state meteorologist Ben Nelson said.

Forecasters said the wave was nearing an area where conditions are favorable for development.

Computer forecast models were split on where the wave would be by the middle of the week.

The wave was expected to move north over Puerto Rico. An area of high pressure should keep the system moving north for the next day or so, Nelson said.

After that, the models diverge widely.

Intensity forecast models varied, with most predicting the depression would reach tropical storm strength by midweek and only one calling for the storm to become a hurricane.

If a storm forms, it will be called Kyle, the 11th named storm of the 2008 hurricane season.

Reporter Neil Johnson can be reached at njohnson@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7731.

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