ATLANTIC OCEAN — The National Hurricane Center is monitoring two areas for potential tropical development in the Atlantic. A strong tropical wave has moved off the coast of Africa, while an area of low pressure east-southeast of Bermuda has been designated Invest 95L.

The agency assigns medium odds of tropical development to the African tropical wave over the next seven days. "Many of the computer simulations that show it surviving its encounter with the dust and hostile upper winds predict it will turn into a hurricane as it heads north of the Caribbean," Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross said. "That wouldn't be until next week, so it's nothing to think too hard about at this point."

Invest 95L presents a different set of parameters for forecasters. If Invest 95L becomes a tropical depression, it will be named Dolly. The system could bring rain to Newfoundland, Canada on Tuesday.

Current assessment indicates no immediate threat to the U.S. mainland from these monitored systems, according to reports. There is no threat to the United States from the monitored Atlantic systems.

What's New

Additional reporting provides further detail on the broader atmospheric context. The National Hurricane Center is a division of the United States' National Weather Service. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.

The northeastern Atlantic system has a 20 percent chance of formation over the next 48 hours and a 20 percent chance over the next seven days. A non-tropical area of low pressure is expected to develop along a front over the northeastern Atlantic by Friday. The northeastern Atlantic system is expected to bring rain to Portugal and Spain.

Why It Matters

The monitoring of these systems occurs against a backdrop of broader climate patterns that influence seasonal activity. NOAA states El Niño has a 69 percent chance of reaching historic strength later this year. El Niño typically limits hurricane development in the Atlantic due to hostile winds.

These environmental factors play a role in how disturbances such as the African tropical wave and Invest 95L evolve. The presence of hostile winds associated with El Niño conditions can disrupt the organization of tropical cyclones, affecting the likelihood that monitored areas will develop into named storms during the active season.