National Hurricane Center (NHC) experts are monitoring an area of low pressure off the southeastern U.S. coast that could become a tropical storm by the end of the week.
Newsweek reached out to NHC by email for comment.
Why It Matters
The Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1 and meteorologists are already monitoring two areas that could see tropical development this month. One is in the Western Caribbean and the other is off the coast of the Southeastern U.S.
The low-pressure system comes as Tropical Storm Alvin already formed in late May in the Eastern Pacific. The storm brought heavy rain to the Southwest, though it did not make direct landfall.
What To Know
On Tuesday morning, the NHC posted an update regarding the system on X, formerly Twitter.
“A non-tropical area of low pressure is forecast to form along a frontal boundary in a couple days off the SE U.S. coast,” the post said. “The low could gradually acquire subtropical or tropical characteristics later this week if it remains offshore.”
A map accompanying the forecast shows the system of the coast of Florida with a path that would take it up along the coasts of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. As of the most current forecast, there is a 10 percent chance that a tropical storm could form within the next 48 hours.
There is also a 10 percent chance one could form in the next seven days.
The Southeast can expect some impact from the storm, including rain and coastal hazards such as an increased risk of rip currents.
The first tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season will be named Andrea.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) anticipates between 13 and 19 named storms forming during this year’s Atlantic hurricane season, with six to 10 strengthening into hurricanes and three to five strengthening into major hurricanes.
What People Are Saying
AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva, in a report: “These are the areas that we would typically look for tropical development during the month of June, so it’s not uncommon to see that.”
The AccuWeather report: “Not only is urban flooding a concern, but building seas and local onshore winds from the budding low pressure area can lead to dangerous rip currents, coastal flooding, and beach erosion from the Florida east coast to the Carolinas.”
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen if a tropical storm will emerge. Regardless of its formation, some rain and unsettled seas are expected off the Southeast Coast this week.
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