Claudio Martinez

A tropical wave leaving Africa has a decent chance to become a tropical storm as it tracks across the eastern and central Atlantic this week. Dubbed "Invest #96L," its surroundings generally favor development short-term, as the Saharan air mass to its north is less dry and deep than usual. Models agree on a west-northwestward track that would bring the system near or north of the Lesser Antilles in 6-7 days. 96L will likely encounter a less favorable environment later in the week as it nears a persistent zone of elevated wind shear over the central Atlantic. While earlier waves have been destroyed entirely by this zone, it is now peak hurricane season, so waves like 96L may survive long enough to get through the zone. It's too early to know whether 96L will stick around beyond this week, but it is a system to watch. The National Hurricane Center currently gives 96L a 60% chance of becoming a tropical cyclone.