The latest storm information from the US National Hurricane Center on October 19 said that the depression in the Atlantic had been identified a day earlier as the system was gradually moving towards the Caribbean.
The 98L depression is about 1,287km east of the Windward Islands and is moving west at a speed of 32km/h.
US forecasters say that there is a high chance of 98L gradually strengthening, although the current forecast of the possibility of this low pressure reaching tropical depression status next week is still low.
According to the latest weather bulletin from the FOX Forecast Center, depression 98L is moving slowly westward across the Atlantic Ocean towards the Caribbean Sea.
The depression is operating unusually far south and east at this time of year, although sometimes system movements similar to 98L still occur.
The main driver of this unusual movement is a large high pressure area, concentrated in the eastern Atlantic basin.
Regardless of the developments, the new low pressure will approach the Windward Islands on October 20 and is expected to bring heavy rain and strong gusts of wind.
"The key is the low chance of the system affecting the continental United States. People in Puerto Rico and surrounding islands should pay close attention next week. And of course, the system is also likely to impact Central America," said foX hurricane forecaster Bryan Norcross.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, if the depression strengthens into a storm, the storm will have enough fuel to maintain its intensity because the Caribbean Sea is extremely warm.
In addition to the 98L depression, the US National Hurricane Center is monitoring an area in the northern Atlantic, a non-tropical depression several hundred miles off the northeastern coast of the US. The Hurricane Center said the system could see some tropical features in the coming days.
If it forms, it is expected to head out to sea and have a low chance of developing. "It is not a direct threat to land, but it is creating large waves, dangerous currents along the East Coast, from Canada to Florida (USA) " - forecaster Norcross said.
If it develops into a tropical storm or hurricane, one of the two systems will be named Melissa, the 13th named storm of this year's Atlantic hurricane season.
The Atlantic hurricane season will officially end on November 30.
