From Tampa Bay Times

Forecasters are monitoring a system in the Atlantic that has a chance of becoming the next tropical system.

As Hurricane Ophelia bears down on Ireland, forecasters are now monitoring a growing area of showers and thunderstorms about 175 miles north-northeast of the Turks and Caicos Islands, according to the National Hurricane Center.

As of 8 a.m., the system is producing wind gusts near tropical-storm force, forecasters said, but satellite images suggest it lacks a well-defined center.

The area has a 40 percent chance of development over the next two days, forecasters said.

Conditions are expected to remain partially conducive for development during the next day or so, but that drops on Wednesday, when the disturbance merges with another frontal system.

If the system does somehow grow to hurricane strength, it would become the 11th consecutive storm to do so — an unprecedented instance.

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