Monitoring a Tropical Low Near the Lesser Antilles

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

September 1,2013; 5:16PM,EDT

 

 

A close eye is being kept on a low near the Lesser Antilles, which will face drenching showers and thunderstorms regardless of any tropical development.
Thunderstorm activity increased around the tropical low Sunday morning, a key factor to any potential development. The low is also tracking through water that is more than warm enough to support strengthening.
However, there are other factors working against development.
The thunderstorm activity actually started to diminish some Sunday afternoon as the low ran into dry air across the eastern Caribbean. Also in place is disruptive wind shear to the north and west of the low.

AccuWeather.com meteorologists are closely monitoring the low for the possibility that it overcomes these obstacles and organizes into the next tropical depression of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.
The low could do so as it tracks westward through the eastern Caribbean over the next few of days.
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Regardless of development, drenching and gusty showers and thunderstorms will continue to spread across the Lesser Antilles through Monday. Localized flash flooding could unfold in low-lying and poor drainage areas.
The storminess also threatens to ruin outdoor and vacation plans.

Additional heavy showers and thunderstorms will stretch across the Leeward Islands through midweek with another tropical wave following on the heels of the low.
The wave will also cause shower and thunderstorm activity to increase across the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola by midweek, but is not expected to develop due to the mountainous terrain of the Caribbean islands and wind shear in its path.