Two potential storms lurk in eastern Atlantic

Keep an eye on these two. As Tropical Storm Jose continues to circle in the Atlantic, posing minimal threat to land, a pair of roughweather patches off the African coast are just two more indications that while Irma might be over, hurricane season is not.

“The peak of the hurricane season is mid-August through late October, and conditions remain favorable across the Atlantic basin for systems to form and strengthen,” said National Hurricane Center spokesman Dennis Feltgen.

Both potential systems are far out in the eastern Atlantic. As of Thursday afternoon they both had a 70 percent chance of formation over the next five days, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Center.

It’s an increase from the medium chances they had been given earlier in the day Thursday, when the one closer to the Caribbean had a 60 percent chance of formation while the one closer to Africa had a 40 percent chance.

The two are currently referred to as invests, a designation for any area that hurricane forecasters want to pay closer attention to. Invest 96L is closer to the Caribbean while Invest 97L is behind it, closer to Africa.

It’s too early to determine what impacts, if any, either would have on the U.S. or elsewhere. The National Hurricane Center’s latest tropical weather maps show both as heading generally toward the Caribbean. It’s not possible to forecast with any certainty where they would head beyond that. Both are still over 3,000 miles from South Florida.

Despite the uncertainty, there are early computer forecast models showing the storms’ possible routes. Take