US NHC forecasts 50% chance of a rare December tropical storm forming Loop Barbados

The US National Hurricane Centre says there is now a 50 per cent chance for a rare December subtropical or tropical storm to develop from a low pressure system that is currently in the Central Atlantic Ocean.

In the forecast today, NHC said the system, which is currently located about 800 miles northeast of the northern Leeward Islands, is continuing to produce a broad area of showers and thunderstorms.

Environmental conditions appear marginally conducive for development and a subtropical or tropical storm could form in the next couple of days. By Thursday night or Friday, the low will move northeastward over cooler waters and interact with a mid-latitude trough, limiting subtropical or tropical development of the system,” NHC said.

If a storm develops, it will be called Owen and it will be the 15th named storm for 2022.