The National Hurricane Center has begun issuing advisories on Tropical Depression 5, which is expected to strengthen rapidly and become a tropical storm later today.
The new tropical depression formed over the north Atlantic Thursday morning and is drifting to the east-northeast.
If it does become a named storm, it will be Danielle, the fourth named storm of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season.
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For the seventh time since 1950, the tropical Atlantic went without a hurricane in August, according to Colorado State University meteorologist Philip Klotzbach.
In fact, there were no named storms the entire month.
That may change soon, with the National Hurricane Center monitoring two other tropical waves.
Invest 91L in the central Atlantic has a high chance of becoming a tropical depression.
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It’s been 59 days since there has ben
Here’s the latest update from the NHC as of 5 a.m. Sept. 1:
Tropical Depression 5
- Location: 975 miles west of the Azores; 2,147 miles east of Daytona Beach
- Maximum wind speed: 35 mph
- Direction: east-northeast at 2 mph
Strengthening is expected during the next few days, and the depression is forecast to become a tropical storm later today and possibly a hurricane by the weekend, according to the Hurricane Center.
Current estimates are that winds could reach 90 mph within 96 hours. That would make it a strong Category 1 hurricane.
What else is out there and where are they?
Invest 91L: Showers and thunderstorms associated with a broad area of low pressure located several hundred miles east of the Leeward Islands have gradually increased in organization over the past day or so.
Tropical wave: Satellite imagery and surface observations show that a broad area of lower pressure is located over and to the north of the Cabo Verde Islands.
How likely are they to strengthen?
Invest 91L: Although environmental conditions remain only marginally conducive, any additional development of the system over the next few days would lead to the formation of a tropical depression.
The disturbance is forecast to move slowly west-northwest, toward the adjacent waters of the northern Leeward Islands.
- Formation chance through 48 hours: medium, 60 percent.
- Formation chance through 5 days: high, 80 percent.
Tropical wave: While surface observations indicate pressures are low in this area, the associated shower activity currently is poorly organized. There is still a potential for the system to become a short-lived tropical depression within the next day or so before environmental conditions become unfavorable for further development.
Regardless, the system could bring locally heavy rainfall to portions of the Cabo Verde Islands today and tonight.
- Formation chance through 48 hours: medium, 40 percent.
- Formation chance through 5 days: medium, 40 percent.
Who is likely to be impacted?
It’s too early at this time to determine if there will be any impact to the U.S. from Tropical Depression 5 or the tropical waves.
Forecasters urge all residents to continue monitoring the tropics and to always be prepared during what’s expected to be an active hurricane season.
When is the Atlantic hurricane season?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
When is the peak of hurricane season?
Although the season has gotten off to a quiet start, the peak of the season is Sept. 10, with the most activity happening between mid-August and mid-October, according to the Hurricane Center.
Weather watches and warnings issued for your area
Tropical forecast for the next five days
See the National Hurricane Center’s five-day graphical tropical weather outlook below.
Excessive rainfall forecast
What’s out there?
Systems currently being monitored by the National Hurricane Center.
What’s next?
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