As the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season winds down, meteorologists will begin turning their attention to the waters surrounding Central America, where a broad area of low pressure known as the Central American Gyre (CAG) could form in the coming weeks.

A Central American Gyre typically develops once or twice during the hurricane season, often in the early and late months, and can trigger a range of hazardous weather conditions, including tropical cyclones.

Even without spawning a named tropical system, the sprawling circulation can bring days of torrential rain, flooding and mudslides to more than a dozen countries across the Americas.

The broad pattern can last for several days and more than a week, allowing copious amounts of tropical moisture to accumulate across the region.

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