National Hurricane Center eyes two potential storms, in addition to Hurricane Erin
As if on cue, storm activity is increasing in the Atlantic Ocean as the 2025 hurricane season reaches the time of year when peak activity traditionally begins.
In addition to major Hurricane Erin, the National Hurricane Center is watching a potential tropical disturbance in the eastern Atlantic.
A westward-moving tropical wave could produce an area of low pressure in the tropical Atlantic late in the week of Aug. 18, the hurricane center said on Aug. 16. The center shows a 20% chance of storm formation over the next week.
If the wave becomes the next named tropical storm, it would receive the name Fernand. Yes, that's right, Fernand.
A long-term outlook from the Climate Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also shows the potential for storm formation increasing between the eastern Caribbean and the African coast. It lists the chances of storm formation in the central tropical Atlantic at greater than 40% during the seven-day period beginning on Aug. 20.
The peak period of the annual six-month hurricane season in the Atlantic traditionally begins in mid-August and continues through late October. Outlooks for the 2025 season have called for busier-than-normal activity, including recent updates from NOAA and Colorado State University.
Hurricane Erin, which formed on Aug. 15, quickly exploded into a Category 5 storm with sustained minimum winds of 160 mph on Aug. 16 as it moved westward north of the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico. Erin is the fifth-named storm of the season
Another potential disturbance is shown a couple of hundred miles east of the North Carolina coast, but the hurricane center reports only a 10% chance of development before it moves into an unfavorable environment on Monday, Aug. 18.
Dinah Voyles Pulver covers climate change and the environment for USA TODAY. She's written about hurricanes, tornadoes and violent weather for more than 30 years. Reach her at dpulver@usatoday.com or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.
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Track Erin's progress Dinah Voyles Pulver covers climate change and the environment for USA TODAY. She's written about hurricanes, tornadoes and violent weather for more than 30 years. Reach her at dpulver@ or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NOAA Hurricane Erin forecasts dangers on beaches along East Coast
