A tropical storm or typhoon could be in the offing for the western North Pacific Ocean, based on some early indicators.

Some forecasting tools accessed lately by AccuWeather.com have showed the formation of a significant tropical cyclone, even a typhoon, over the seas between the Philippines and Okinawa, Japan. This would be as early as the weekend.

Japan Meteorological Agency satellite image shows unsettled weather off northern Philippines on July 7, 2011.

However, the indicators are not in consensus, as there are other forecast tools suggesting that broad tropical low pressure will fail to organize through at least early next week.

Based merely upon climate history, odds of a named tropical cyclone happening in the region within the next five to seven days area fairly high.

July marks the start of the core typhoon season, with between 4 and 5 named storms on average. Between 3 and 4 typhoons normally occur during July.

Still, conflicting trends in the forecasting tools make it hard to make any definitive call as to typhoon potential at this time. AccuWeather.com forecasters will continue eye the tropical weather signs going forward.