The Bermuda Weather Service is keeping a close eye on an area of low pressure that is forming to the southwest of the Island.

According to the latest National Hurricane Centre (NHC) forecast released at 3pm yesterday there is a 20 per cent chance it will acquire tropical conditions within two days. Kimberley Zuill, director of the Bermuda Weather Service, told The Royal Gazette: “There is a low to our southwest which is being closely monitored for further development.

“As of 3pm local time, the NHC have a 20 per cent probability that this low may acquire tropical characteristics within two days, and a 60 per cent probability during the next five days.

“Consistent with the NHC products, the low may begin to acquire more tropical characteristics over the weekend, but at this time there is currently no evidence that this system will intensify to even a tropical storm. If intensification does occur it is more likely to remain a (sub) tropical depression.

Ms Zuill said that the track of the low pressure will pass to the Island’s east, keeping the heavier rainfall and higher winds to the distant east.

She urged the public to monitor updates on www.weather.bm and the service’s tropical update bulletin.

She added: “As the Bermuda Weather Service highlighted during the extensive coverage in May for the Hurricane Awareness Week this year we can expect Western Atlantic developments and systems that could intensify rapidly “on our doorstep”.