Tropical Storm Patty weakened into a tropical depression in the Atlantic after forming just a day earlier, the National Hurricane Center reported Friday. But another system was building and has a 90 percent chance of becoming a tropical storm in the next day or so, the center stated.
The developing system was about 60 miles northwest of Santa Lucia.
"Strong gusty winds and locally heavy rainfall are possible across portions of the Lesser Antilles and the Virgin Islands during the next couple of days," the center said in an advisory.
Weather.com reported the system could impact several areas. It will be named Rafael if it becomes a tropical storm.
"As we head into the weekend it'll bring heavy showers and gusty winds to the Leeward Islands and possibly then Puerto Rico," weather.com stated. "Looking ahead to next week, models have been consistent in showing a steering flow pattern that'll turn the system to the north and northeast and keep it away from the U.S. but steer it close to Bermuda."
Patty was the 16th named storm of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season.
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