The National Hurricane Center said Tuesday that it is tracking two systems in the Atlantic basin, including one that could strengthen into a tropical depression later this week.

The system, currently designated as Invest 94L, was described by the hurricane center as a "well-defined area of low pressure" located over the central tropical Atlantic that is currently producing occasional showers and thunderstorms.

Forecasters said the system remains "embedded in a dry air environment," and that development is unlikely over the next couple of days, but that the system is forecast to move generally westward and environmental conditions are expected to become more favorable for gradual development by the middle to latter part of this week.

Tropical depression or storm could form

"A tropical depression could form as the system begins moving west-northwestward and approaches or moves near the Leeward Islands late this week," the hurricane center said. The system has a 60% chance of formation through the next seven days.

"It looks like any development over the next couple of days will be slow," AccuWeather hurricane expert Alex DaSilva said. Late in the week, probably Thursday or Friday, that's when the window opens for it to develop into a tropical storm as wind shear relaxes. AccuWeather's forecast is for the system to become a tropical storm by Thursday night, early Friday, or, at the earliest, by Thursday afternoon.

The next storm that forms will get the name Nadine. It will be the 14th named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which is right about the average for number of named storms.

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Another system lingering in Caribbean Sea

The hurricane center also said Tuesday that it is keeping tabs on a "broad area of low pressure" that could develop over the southwestern Caribbean Sea by the middle to latter portions of this week.

Some gradual development of the system is possible if it stays over water while it moves slowly west-northwestward toward northern Central America, the hurricane center said. However, regardless of development, locally heavy rainfall is possible across portions of Central America later this week.

The system is not currently forecast to impact the U.S.

Florida hit by 3 hurricanes this year

Florida has been hit by three hurricanes so far this season: Hurricane Debby, Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. That puts 2024 tied with five other years for the most hurricanes making landfall in Florida during a single season, according to Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach, who specializes in Atlantic basin seasonal hurricane forecasts.

Atlantic storm tracker

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.

Contributing: Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY Network - Florida