The National Hurricane Center increased the odds that a system could develop in the Caribbean and become the season’s next tropical depression or storm.

As of the hurricane center’s 8 a.m. tropical outlook, it said a broad area of low pressure is likely to develop over the southwestern Caribbean Sea in the next few days.

“Gradual development is possible thereafter, and a tropical depression could form late this week or over the weekend while the system begins to drift northward or northeastward over the southwestern and central Caribbean Sea,” forecasters said.

The hurricane center gives it a 40% chance to develop in the next seven days.

If it were to gain enough steam it could become Tropical Storm Patty.

The potential system would come in the final month of the official hurricane season, which runs from June 1-Nov. 30.

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has so far seen 15 named storms, 10 of which have become hurricanes and three of which have struck Florida.

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