Hurricane Center now says 70% chance of tropical cyclone

The chances keep increasing for a tropical wave moving across the far eastern Atlantic Ocean to strengthen into a cyclone over the next five days, the National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory.

Currently known as Disturbance No. 2, it has a 70% chance of forming over the next five days, according to the 8 p.m. advisory.

That was a 10% jump up from 60% earlier in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, another area of disturbed weather closer to eastern Cuba and the Bahamas was predicted to travel a northwestern path through Thursday. It has only a 10% chance of developing into a tropical cyclone in the next five days, forecasters said.

It will bring rainy weather to South Florida. It would likely move through the southern and central parts of the state Friday through Saturday night, the advisory said.

Forecasters said the system could grow over the weekend as it accelerates and turns toward the north and east.

A high-tide alert was issued. The city of Fort Lauderdale posted a tweet that said the city could expect flooding in its lowest lying areas as the weekend nears.

“Tides are currently running more than a foot higher than predicted,” the city’s tweet said.

This weekend’s new moon will contribute to the higher than average tides.

“Do not drive through flooded areas," city officials warned.

There will be plenty of time to watch the disturbance over the open Atlantic Ocean as it moves westward at a speed of about 15 miles per hour.

It has zero likelihood of developing over the next two days, the 8 p.m. advisory said.

Upper level clouds are forecast to make the disturbance “more conducive for development over the weekend, and a tropical depression is likely to form by early next week,” the hurricane center said.

The next system that grows into a tropical cyclone will get a name. It will be Chantal and it would be the third named storm of the 2019 hurricane season.