BROOKHAVEN — The opening day of bow and squirrel season is less than 24 hours away for Lincoln County hunters and the forecast looks perfect. Sunshine, high temperatures reaching 85 tomorrow afternoon and the low around 64 tonight. NWS Jackson forecasts a 5 to 10 mph wind blowing out of the north.

Sunny and fair weather days are forecast for most of this week. Friday has the best chance of rainfall with a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms Friday afternoon. Residents should enjoy the beautiful weather while it lasts.

According to the National Hurricane Center, tropical activity continues to pick up after Hurricane Helene dumped a deluge of rain on Appalachia washing away streets, homes, bridges and parts of I-40 late last week. Helene’s death toll is estimated to be around 90 people and could continue to climb.

It appears another tropical storm could form again in the southwest Caribbean Sea. National Hurricane Center in Miami forecasts an ongoing tropical disturbance has a 40 percent chance of tropical cyclone formation in the next 7 days.

“Environmental conditions could become conducive for gradual development,” the National Hurricane Center states. “A tropical depression could form in a few days while the system is over the southern Gulf of Mexico or northwestern Caribbean Sea.”

The good news is the timeliness of development of a tropical cyclone has shifted towards late this week or perhaps over the weekend.

An 11th named storm of the 2024 Hurricane Season has already formed today. Tropical Storm Kirk continues to strengthen in the Atlantic off of the coast of Africa. To the east of it, a second tropical disturbance has an 80 percent chance of producing a tropical cyclone in the next seven days and a 3o percent chance in the next 48 hours.

Post-tropical cyclone Isaac continues to curve towards the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It continues to weaken from a hurricane and will likely become a post tropical depression. Tropical Storm Joyce is also weakening to a depression in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Leslie, Milton and Nadine will be the next three names for storms according to the NHC name list for the 2024 season.

Check back for more updates as tropical systems develop. The Daily Leader will continue to provide updates on storms.