The National Hurricane Center has lowered the chances of possible tropical development in the Gulf of Mexico.
"Disorganized showers and thunderstorms over portions of the Gulf of Mexico are associated with a surface trough. A broad area of low pressure is likely to develop over the Gulf of Mexico late this weekend or early next week, but subsequent tropical or subtropical development could be limited by the system's potential interaction with a frontal boundary," said the NHC Thursday.
"Regardless of development, locally heavy rains could occur over portions of Mexico during the next few days and over portions of the Florida Peninsula next week," forecasters noted.
Hurricane Kirk continued it's march over the Atlantic as a major category 3 hurricane, with further strengthening expected, possible to a strong category 4 storm with maximum winds of 140 miles per hour.
"Kirk is expected to grow in size and send out ocean swells across the central and western Atlantic. These swells will likely increase the risk of dangerous surf and rip currents along the Leeward Islands by Friday, Bermuda and the Greater Antilles by Saturday, and the U.S. East Coast and the Bahamas by Sunday," said the NHC.
Tropical Storm Leslie is expected to become a hurricane by the weekend and could possibly flirt with reaching major hurricane status early next week.
The NHC forecasts Leslie's maximum sustained winds to reach 110 miles per hour by Tuesday, just one mile below category 3 strength.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season ends November 30.