Over the weekend, the National Hurricane Center officially designated an area in the south-central Caribbean as Potential Tropical Cyclone 18.

Hurricane Hunters are scheduled to investigate this system twice on Monday, first around 10 a.m. and another around 3 p.m.

Although this area is not a storm just yet, it is expected to be one later on Monday as it nears Jamaica. The National Hurricane Center uses this designation to be able to issue watches and warnings in a timely manner.

The next name on the list of Atlantic hurricane names is Rafael.

A hurricane watch is now in effect for the Cayman Islands, and a tropical storm warning is being issued for Jamaica.

The storm is expected to move near Jamaica and strengthen into a hurricane before making landfall in Cuba as a category one hurricane. At this time, the center of the storm is expected to stay away from Central Florida, however, rain chances could increase mid-to-late week as the storm moves through the Gulf of Mexico.

The National Hurricane Center is also monitoring two other areas in the tropics.

Tropical Storm Patty is quickly losing tropical characteristics on Monday as it approaches the coast of Portugal.

The third area is an area of low pressure that could develop near the northern Leeward Islands in a few days. Some slow development of this system is possible after that time as it moves westward. At this point there is a 20% chance of formation over the next seven days.

Hurricane season runs until Nov. 30.