Hurricane season is about to wake up again

Halloween may be over, but hurricane season still has a few disturbing tricks left in its last month.

Three tropical trouble spots in the Atlantic Basin should be monitored in the coming days as a strange hurricane season continues to defy expectations.

One of these problem areas is in the western Caribbean and has a high chance of developing into a tropical depression late this weekend or early next week, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Once it develops, it could become a tropical storm. But when and where exactly a tropical depression develops in the coming days will have major consequences for the future.

The next tropical storm to form will be named Patty, followed by Rafael and Sara.

It’s too early to determine the exact track the potential storm might follow, but the system could drift toward the Gulf of Mexico. The western Caribbean, parts of Central America and Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula are likely to see heavy rainfall and perhaps some gusty winds next week.

The US Gulf Coast could finally have some atmospheric protection on its side after multiple disasters devastating hurricane attacks this season. Upper-level gale-force winds are expected to build over the Gulf next week and could disperse any system that moves into the region.

Two other areas could develop in the coming week.

The stormy weather that brought with it record breaking Rain to Puerto Rico and soak parts of the northeastern Caribbean on Thursday. Friday has a small window to organize into a tropical system as it slides westward over the next few days. Regardless of the development, this could cause additional flooding in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Hispaniola this weekend and next week.

The other area is in the open Atlantic Ocean and although it has a medium chance of development, it is unlikely to pose a threat to the country.

November to stay active

The hurricane season usually ends in November, but this year has already proven that anything but typical.

This season is above average in terms of named storms, hurricanes and major – Category 3 or stronger – hurricanes.

Five hurricanes hit the US this year, despite the season taking a major hiatus and confusing experts during what should have been the busiest part of the year.

So it’s no surprise that this trend is likely to continue in November. Although storms do occur in November, they are generally much less common and the storms that hit the US are exceptionally rare.

According to sources, at least 125 tropical storms and hurricanes crossed the Atlantic Ocean in November. facts from NOAA. According to hurricane expert Michael Lowry, 98 percent of named storms make landfall in the US before November.

Storms that form in November tend to do so in the Caribbean and southwestern and central Atlantic Oceans, where warm waters last longer and storm-disturbing winds tend to be weaker. The Gulf of Mexico is not a common source of tropical problems in a typical November, as storm-disturbing winds strengthen over the area in late fall.

For anything tropical to form and remain active in the Gulf, it will likely need a boost from extremely warm water. The Gulf is not as hot as it was when Helene and Milton were fueled, but it still is warmer than average for November.

Barring development opportunities in the coming days, the Caribbean could remain a tropical hotspot into the second half of November, according to the Climate Prediction Center.

The hurricane season officially ends on November 30, but tropical systems are not tied to that date. Since the late 1800s, about 20 tropical storms and hurricanes have passed through the basin in December.

For more CNN news and newsletters, create an account at CNN.com