The National Hurricane Center said a tropical storm would likely develop in the Caribbean Sea and move north into the Gulf of Mexico this week.

The storm dubbed Potential Tropical Cyclone No. 18 was located 220 miles south of Kingston, Jamaica, early Monday. There were maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. The National Hurricane Center says there is a 100% chance it will strengthen into a tropical depression or tropical storm within the next 48 hours.

The National Hurricane Center said hurricane warnings had been issued for the Cayman Islands because it could become a hurricane in the coming days.

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After crossing the Cayman Islands on Wednesday, it is expected to hit the western tip of Cuba as a hurricane on Thursday. From there it will enter the Gulf of Mexico. While Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are all within the five-day forecast cone issued by the National Hurricane Center, government forecasters say it is too early to say what kind of impact the system might have. have on the United States.

“The system is expected to enter the western Gulf of Mexico later this week, but given significant uncertainties in the track and intensity of the long-range forecast, it is too early to determine what impacts might occur, if “Residents in this area should monitor forecast updates regularly,” the National Hurricane Center said Monday.

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Hurricanes affecting the United States in November are rare but not unprecedented. The last time a hurricane hit the United States in November was Hurricane Nicole in 2022. Before that, it was Hurricane Kate in 1985.

Officially, hurricane season continues until the end of November.

The next named storm in the Atlantic would be called Rafael.