At a Glance

A tropical wave in the central Caribbean is being watched for possible tropical development.This system will likely form into a tropical depression in the next day or two.It may eventually move into the Gulf of Mexico next week.It's too soon to determine where, or if, it may threaten the U.S. next week.

A tropical disturbance in the Caribbean Sea may soon develop into a tropical depression, then faces an uncertain future that could include a track into the Gulf of Mexico next week.

This system, dubbed Invest 97L, is producing increasingly more organized showers and thunderstorms, along with gusty winds in the central Caribbean, or to the south of Jamaica.

(MORE: What Is an Invest?)

The National Hurricane Center has scheduled a Hurricane Hunter mission into the disturbance Thursday afternoon to take a closer look and see if the system has become a tropical depression or storm.

Potential Development Area

(The potential area(s) of tropical development according to the latest National Hurricane Center outlook are shown by polygons, color-coded by the chance of development over the next five days. An "X" indicates the location of a current disturbance.)

The National Hurricane Center has given this tropical wave a high chance of development through late week as it tracks into the northwestern Caribbean Sea.

Regardless of development, this system could bring at least some rainfall to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula or parts of Central America by this weekend.

Beyond that, the forecast is highly uncertain. The system may either be pulled north, northwest or west across and the Gulf of Mexico next week. Or, the system could remain buried in Central America or southern Mexico with heavy rainfall.

It's simply too early to know if it will eventually pose a threat to other areas next week. All interests in the western Caribbean Sea and along the U.S. and Mexican Gulf Coasts should monitor the forecast closely. Check back frequently with us at weather.com for updates in the days ahead.

Model Forecast Tracks

(The lines on this graphic represent several of the many track forecasts from various computer models. This is not an official forecast, but these are used as guidance for creating the projected path.)

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