Tropical Weather Season Picking Up the Pace Across the Atlantic

Several tropical weather systems that are brewing in the Atlantic Ocean could threaten the U.S. in the days to come. Here is a closer look at what the National Hurricane Center (NHC) is keeping close tabs on as the peak of the tropical weather season inches closer.

Southeastern U.S. Forecast to See Impacts of Developing Tropical Weather Feature

The Atlantic basin is alive with activity during this first week of August. Although the southeastern coastline will see the chance of tropical short-term impacts by the end of the week, forecasters are also watching the western coast of Africa for future developments.

The week started with a bang when Tropical Storm Dexter formed in the southern Atlantic. The fourth tropical storm of the current Atlantic hurricane season, this storm drifted to the northeast and away from the U.S. coastline. Dexter is forecast to devolve into a tropical rainstorm shortly as it moves into the progressively cooler waters of the North Atlantic.

The weakening storm will still pack torrential rain, gusty winds, and rough seas. Should it survive the trip across the North Atlantic, Dexter could bring impacts to the Azores and the United Kingdom.

Of primary immediate concern for the U.S. is a potential tropical weather maker that is starting to come together in the waters off of North Carolina. This storm is being fueled by the same stalled cool front that has been responsible for dumping several inches of rain across the Southeast since last week. This front was also blamed for helping to produce Tropical Storm Dexter a few days ago.

The good news is that, like Dexter, any named tropical feature is forecast to journey to the northeast across the Atlantic. This track would take it away from the U.S. However, the slow-moving nature of this system and its proximity to the coastline will translate to heavy rain and breezy conditions for parts of the Southeast coastal region.

Hurricane experts are growing more confident that a tropical depression or storm will form as the cluster of showers and storms churns over the exceptionally warm waters in the Gulf Stream. In addition to the persistent rain and winds for the Southeast coast, rough surf conditions and rip currents could pose problems for beachgoers this weekend.

Looking at Rest of the Tropical Atlantic

While these homegrown systems that pose a risk to the East Coast are common this time of the year, this is also when the eastern portion of the Atlantic starts to heat up. Known as the Cabo Verde season, this is when tropical waves coming off the coast of Africa become more prevalent. The waves then often gain intensity near the Cabo Verde islands before moving to the west and into the Caribbean.

These waves are starting to eject out of Africa with more frequency and intensity, prompting forecasters to ring the alarm bell about the potential of more tropical weather. One wave could develop into a named feature between the dates of August 8 and August 10 based on the latest models.

Just a few days later, another wave is showing signs that it could take on formal tropical characteristics. This second wave would likely come to life between August 12 and August 14. Should this feature come to fruition, it is likely to jaunt farther to the south when moving across the Caribbean. The Caribbean islands could see these impacts by the middle of August with the potential of Central America or the U.S. up next in its path.

The one thing that is certain is that the tropics are going to continue to see increasing amounts of activity in the coming weeks as the season barrels toward its climatological peak in early to mid-September. Stay tuned as we continue to monitor this situation.

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