Tracking The Tropics: Watching Two Tropical Waves, One Expected To Strengthen

MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The first, substantial tropical wave of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season has emerged from Africa and is forecast to move west through the weekend.

Computer models suggest the wave will gradually develop into a tropical depression, or possibly even a tropical storm over the weekend or early next week, according to CBS4 Chief Meteorologist Craig Setzer.

After that time, the system is expected to transit slightly cooler water and may not survive its trek west into the central Atlantic.

At this time, there is no threat to Florida from this distant tropical system but as always, the CBS4 Storm Team will monitor it and the rest of the Atlantic basin now that we're moving toward the busiest time for hurricane season over the next 12 weeks.

On Wednesday, NOAA released its updated hurricane season forecast and said it is still predicting an "above-average" season.

The mid-season update i forecasting 15 to 21 named storms, including 7 to 10 hurricanes, of which 3 to 5 may become major hurricanes.

An average hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

This forecast includes the five named storms which have formed so far this season.