There is now a 70 per cent chance of a tropical depression forming during the latter half of this week as a disturbance located off the coast of the Cabo Verde islands moves westward.

The update came from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Tuesday morning.

Environmental conditions are forecast to become more conducive for development during the next couple of days, as it moves westward-northwestward across the central tropical Atlantic.

The area of low pressure is currently about 500 miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands

Additionally, disorganised showers and thunderstorms associated with a tropical wave are located about 600 miles east of the Windward Islands.

The system is expected to encounter a large area of environmental dry air as it approaches the Windward Islands, and further development is not expected.

However, locally, heavy rains and gusty winds will be possible in the Lesser Antilles during the next couple of days as the disturbance moves through the area.

A trough of low pressure located several hundred miles northeast of Bermuda is also producing showers and thunderstorms.

Some development of this system is possible during the next day or so while it moves eastward at around 20 mph across the central subtropical Atlantic.

The system is forecast to reach cooler waters later this week, ending its chances of formation by Thursday.