A weather system designated Potential Tropical Cyclone Thirteen prompted the government of Colombia to issue a Hurricane Watch for some islands in the western Caribbean Sea. At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Potential Tropical Cyclone Thirteen was located at latitude 11.5°N and longitude 67.7°W which put it about 100 miles (160 km) east-southeast of Curacao. Potential Tropical Cyclone Thirteen was moving toward the west at 15 m.p.h. (24 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.

A Hurricane Watch was in effect for San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina Islands. A Tropical Storm Warning for the portion of the coast from Riohacha, Colombia eastward to the border with Venezuela.

A weather system over northern Venezuela strengthened on Thursday afternoon and the National Hurricane Center designated the system as Potential Tropical Cyclone Thirteen. The center of Potential Tropical Cyclone Thirteen was near the northern coast of Venezuela. More thunderstorms formed near the center of circulation on Thursday afternoon. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving about the center. Storms near the center generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the weather system.

The primary factor keeping Potential Tropical Cyclone Thirteen from strengthening is that half of the circulation is over land. Potential Tropical Cyclone Thirteen will move into an environment favorable for intensification when the center of circulation moves over the southern Caribbean Sea. Potential Tropical Cyclone Thirteen will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29˚C. It will move under the axis of an upper level ridge over the Caribbean Sea. The upper level winds are weak near the axis of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear. Potential Tropical Cyclone Thirteen could strengthen to a tropical storm during the next 24 hours. It could intensify to a hurricane during the weekend.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Thirteen will move south of a high pressure system over the Caribbean Sea. The high pressure system will steer the potential tropical cyclone toward the west during the next 48 hours. On its anticipated track the center of Potential Tropical Cyclone Thirteen will along the coast of northwestern Venezuela during the next 24 hours. The center will move over southwestern Caribbean Sea on Friday. Potential Tropical Cyclone Thirteen will bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to northwestern Venezuela and northeastern Colombia. It will also bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to Curacao, Bonaire and Aruba. Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations. Potential Tropical Cyclone Thirteen could approach the coast of Nicaragua on Sunday. It could be a hurricane by that time.