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The system is expected to become a category one hurricane within the next 12 to 24 hours
Venezuela, Barbados, and other Caribbean islands are on the alert because Tropical Storm Gonzalo is approaching their territories.
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On Wednesday morning, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC ) reported that tropical depression seven developed into Tropical Storm Gonzalo in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
Gonzalo is a small tropical cyclone, with tropical-storm-force winds that extend outward up to 25 miles from the center. The system has become better defined within the past hours.
If this trend continues, then the system could be on a rapid intensification this afternoon. As a result, Gonzalo could become a category one hurricane within the next 12 to 24 hours.
Here are the 11 am AST, Wednesday, July 22 Key Messages for Tropical Storm #Gonzalo. Interests in the southern Windward Islands should monitor the progress of #Gonzalo https://t.co/pLUNBzuC1h pic.twitter.com/2K86XexOcJ
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) July 22, 2020
As the system continues to track westward across the Central Atlantic, a tropical storm watch may be issued for Barbados sometime on Wednesday night.
Current forecast tracks suggest that the center should pass about 105 miles to the south of Barbados on Saturday morning.
The NHC is forecasting the storm will weaken slightly before moving over the Windward Islands. The storm may even fizzle after it moves over the islands or it could continue to intensify into next week.
Meanwhile, Venezuela keeps Gonzalo under surveillance and monitoring due to its probable course, which could affect the eastern coasts of the country this weekend.
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