With just a few weeks remaining in the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season, the tropics are no longer quiet.
Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center are watching what they describe as a "vigorous" tropical wave about 200 miles east of the Leeward Islands Monday morning. It's possible the system could strengthen into a tropical depression or a tropical storm in a day or two.
The next named storm would be Patty.
The NHC says the "large area of disturbed weather" is expected to move west to west-northwestward, passing close to or just north of the Leeward Islands, Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and the southeastern Bahamas.
Potential impacts to the United States remain unknown.
The 2018 Atlantic hurricane season ends November 30th.