Invest 98L forms near Bahamas, as Tropical Storm Rafael spins in Gulf of Mexico

ORLANDO, Fla. - With weeks left in the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, Tropical Storm Rafael spins in the Gulf of Mexico, and a new disturbance near the Bahama is being tracked for potential development.

A cluster of showers and thunderstorms in the eastern Bahamas, designated by the National Hurricane Center as Invest 98L, is currently in an environment favorable for potential development with warm water and little wind shear.

The odds of development are low, according to the National Hurricane Center. Invest 98L currently has a 10% chance of development over the next seven days, before it enters cooler water and hostile wind shear, which would limit development.

This is all thanks to a cold front that will be moving through during the middle of the workweek and will help steer this system away from the Florida coast. 

Although spaghetti models keep Invest 98L in the Eastern Bahamas and eventually sweeping out into the Central Atlantic, there is a chance of heavy downpours and strong winds on Monday in Central Florida.