System in Atlantic has little chance for developing, but hurricane forecasters watching other systems

A tropical wave that came off the African coast over the weekend is making its way west across the Atlantic Ocean and forecasters are only giving it a small chance of developing in the near future.

A second tropical wave is expected to roll off the African coast in the next couple of days but it’s also being given a low chance for developing.

And a third tropical wave located near the eastern Caribbean has a 20% chance for developing.

The first system, the one already in the Atlantic near the African coast, is moving west-northwest at 10 to 15 mph and “further development of this system is not expected” as it continues pushing across the ocean, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of 2 p.m. Tuesday the system has a near 0% chance of developing , according to the NHC.

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The system expected to emerge off the African coast in a couple of days is expected to move west at 10 to 15 mph and is being given a 20% chance for developing in the next five days.

The system in the eastern Caribbean is disorganized but forecasters say it could strengthen in the next few days. Regardless, it still has a low chance for developing.

The tropics have been relatively quiet so far.

In fact, this could end up being just the third August since 1961 there hasn’t been a tropical storm in the Atlantic, according to AccuWeather.

There have only been three named storms so far this season — Alex, Bonnie and Colin — with the last one, Colin, dissipating on July 3, meaning this more than 50-day streak is the third-longest time in Atlantic hurricane history without a named storm since 1995.

The next named storm will be Danielle.

The longest dry spell since 1995 has been 61 days, from June 18 through Aug. 18 in 1999. However, that two-month run of inactivity was followed by a frenetic conclusion of the hurricane season that featured five Category 4 storms (Bret, Cindy, Floyd, Gert and Lenny) and the drenching Category 2 Irene, which achieved a rarity, with its eye passing over Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties in mid-October.

Forecasters say dry air, Saharan dust and wind shear have been among the reasons there haven’t been more storms this year.

The most active part of hurricane season is from now, mid-August, until the end of October, with Sept. 10 the statistical peak of the season.

The last Atlantic hurricane was Sam, which became a hurricane Sept. 24 and maintained that status until Oct. 5 as it cut a path between the United States and Bermuda.

Of the three named storms so far this season, only Alex made its presence known in South Florida by dumping as much as 12 inches of rain in some areas.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued its updated hurricane season predictions earlier this month.

NOAA predicts 14 to 20 named storms and six to 10 hurricanes with three to five being major, meaning Category 3 or higher.

Hurricane season ends Nov. 30.