Tropical Storm Kirk forms, expected to become a major hurricane – NBC 6 South Florida

Another tropical storm formed in the Atlantic Monday and was expected to become a major hurricane later this week, forecasters said.

Tropical Storm Kirk had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph as it moved west over 800 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect and Kirk was forecast to stay in the open waters of the Atlantic at this time.

Kirk was forecast to become a major hurricane as it tracks northwest over the next week but was not expected to bring threats to South Florida.

Meanwhile, Joyce barely remained a tropical depression on Monday as it headed north far out over the Atlantic.

National Hurricane Center

To the north, what was Tropical Storm Isaac was moving into the high latitudes of the North Atlantic and losing its tropical characteristics, becoming a post-tropical cyclone.

To the east of Kirk was another disturbance that had an 80% chance of formation over the next week, and could become a tropical depression over the next few days while it moves slowly westward over the eastern tropical Atlantic.

Another area being monitored was in the western Caribbean Sea that had a 40% chance of development over the next week, possibly while the system is in the southern Gulf of Mexico.

Kirk is the 11th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. If it becomes a major hurricane, it would be the third of the season, following Beryl and Helene.