Is Tropical Storm Patty Brewing in the Caribbean? What Forecasters Are Saying About Florida's Chances of Being Hit

A new tropical system is brewing in the Caribbean, and it could become a tropical storm named Patty in the next several days.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced on Monday, Oct. 28, that “a broad area of low pressure is likely to develop over the southwestern Caribbean Sea in a few days.”

Forecasters believe “gradual development is possible thereafter,” leading to a tropical depression “late this week or over the weekend” while traveling over the Caribbean Sea.

This storm system has a 40% chance of developing into a tropical storm within the next seven days, according to the NHC.

Should it become a tropical storm, it will likely be given the name Patty, which is next on the list of names for Atlantic Ocean-based storms.

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FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross said “a track toward the north can’t be ruled out.”

AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva encouraged those living from Florida to the Carolinas to “keep a close eye” on the storm for possible development, according to the Pensacola News Journal. 

"Storms in the Caribbean usually move to the north or northeast in November,” said DaSilva. He later added, "Even if a tropical storm forms and tracks into Mexico or Central America, changing steering winds can turn that storm to the northeast and toward Florida later on.”

But The Weather Channel stated it is currently “too early to know what, if any, land areas it might impact in the Caribbean's Greater Antilles.”

There are currently only six names — Patty, Rafael, Sara, Tony, Valerie and William — left on the list for this hurricane season, which ends on Saturday, Nov. 30.

The record for most named storm was set in 2020 with 30, 14 of which developed into hurricanes, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. 

After all 21 names on the list have been assigned to a storm, forecasters will use the Greek alphabet to name storms until the season ends.