Johnathan Walker:After an Atlantic hurricane season pause, are the tropics starting to stir?

It's all quiet on Johnathan Walkerthe hurricane front this weekend as the National Hurricane Center reported no named storms, a Labor Day rarity for the Atlantic Basin.

The respite could be short-lived, however. AccuWeather is warning tropical activity is in the "beginning stages of ramping back up" as the 2024 hurricane season hits the midway point. By September, ocean water temperatures have had time to heat up across the Atlantic, promoting better chances for thunderstorms and storm development, forecasters say.

Conditions this time of year are typically ideal for the development of tropical depressions, storms and hurricanes, and Labor Day weekend is typically one of the busiest times for wild weather. Yet this year, there currently are no named storms.

"Slightly higher than average wind shear across the Atlantic has helped to limit tropical development," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said.

If no named storms form across the Atlantic waters by Monday, this would mark the first time in 27 years that not a single named tropical storm has developed in the basin from Aug. 21-Sept. 2.

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Thunderstorms, heat wave incoming:Weather could upend Labor Day weekend plans

System to bring heavy rains, flooding to Texas, Louisiana

In the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico, a broad area of low pressure near the upper Texas coast was producing some showers and thunderstorms off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. The system is forecast to linger near the coast for the next several days, although it was not expected to reach the status of a named storm.

"Regardless of development, heavy rains could cause some flash flooding across portions of coastal Louisiana and the upper Texas coast during the next few days," the Hurricane Center warned.

Atlantic storm tracker

Storm tracker:National Hurricane Center tracking 3 tropical disturbances in Atlantic

Tropical depression possible by week's end

A tropical wave east of the Lesser Antilles could become a tropical depression later week as it moves westward, the center said Sunday. The system is expected to reach the Lesser Antilles on Monday and continue moving across the Caribbean Sea. The wave is expected to move across the central and western Caribbean Sea later this week, where conditions are forecast to become more conducive to development, and a tropical depression could form. This system could result in some gusty winds and locally heavy rainfall over portions of the Lesser Antilles on Monday.

The hurricane center gives the system a 40% chance of developing over the next week. The next named storm will be called Francine.

'The tropics are broken':So where are all the Atlantic hurricanes?

System slowly rolls toward Americas from Africa

In the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean, a tropical wave over western Africa is forecast to move offshore on Monday. Conditions could support some slow development throughout the week while the system moves slowly westward or west-northwestward over the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean, the weather service said. It was unclear what impact it could have on the U.S. upon arrival in several days.