Tropical Storm Irma forms in Atlantic Ocean, no immediate threat to land

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Forecasters issues watches, warnings for Tropical Storm Irma

Developing Atlantic storm could pose a threat to U.S.; Janice Dean reports from the Fox Extreme Weather Center

Another tropical system formed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday, just as Tropical Storm Harvey moved into Louisiana after dumping record amounts of rainfall across the Texas Gulf Coast.

The National Hurricane Center said in its 11 a.m. advisory Tropical Storm Irma is located about 420 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands, and is moving west at 13 mph with 50 mph winds.

Irma is expected to continue moving west for the next few days, and could become a hurricane on Friday, according to the NHC.

The storm is not expected to have any immediate impacts on land, but may impact the Caribbean next week. No coastal watches or warnings are in effect.

Irma is forecast to approach the Lesser Antilles and Puerto Rico in a week, around next Wednesday or Thursday, according Fox News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean.

"It’s too early to tell whether Irma will pass well north of the Lesser Antilles/Puerto Rico, or have direct impacts there," Dean said Wednesday. "And it is definitely too early to know what Irma’s U.S. impacts could be, if any."

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Irma is the ninth named storm of the year, and comes just days after Harvey devastated Texas with record amounts of rain.

Earlier this month, forecasters said the Atlantic hurricane season would be "above-normal," with 14 to 19 named storms ahead of the peak season.

An average Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, produces 12 named storms, of which six become hurricanes, including three major hurricanes, according to the NOAA.