Tropical Storm Dexter formed in the western Atlantic late Sunday, marking the fourth named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
As of 11 p.m. ET on Sunday, Dexter was located about 300 miles west-northwest of Bermuda, moving east-northeast at 12 mph with maximum sustained winds of nearly 45 mph. NHC forecasts indicated the storm would track away from the U.S. coast and was not an immediate threat to land.
Why It Matters
Tropical Storm Dexter’s formation comes during what meteorologists predicted to be an above-average hurricane season, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecast predicting 13 to 19 named storms in 2025. Last year’s hurricane season saw 18 named storms, 11 hurricanes, and significant devastation—including more than $113 billion in damage from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
As the Atlantic hurricane season peaks from August to October, the tracking and forecasting of Dexter and other evolving disturbances are critical for preparedness in vulnerable regions. Even distant tropical storms can pose risks such as inland flash flooding and dangerous rip currents, which remain a leading cause of hurricane-related deaths.
What To Know
There is a possibility Dexter will strengthen slightly before it is expected to become post-tropical by midweek. The NHC projects it will remain over open waters, north of Bermuda, and away from the U.S. East Coast.
Alongside Dexter, the NHC is monitoring a tropical wave expected to move off Africa’s west coast. That system has a 40 percent chance of forming into a tropical depression this week as it travels west-northwest across the Atlantic.
Meanwhile, an emerging low-pressure zone off the U.S. Southeast coast has about a 20 percent chance of development over the next seven days, the NHC said. Neither of these systems pose an immediate threat to land, but forecasters caution that conditions could change.
How Tropical Storms Form
Tropical storms develop from clusters of thunderstorms over warm ocean waters, especially where atmospheric conditions allow for sustained convection and low wind shear. As these systems organize, they may become tropical depressions, then tropical storms with wind speeds of more than 39 mph. If winds exceed 74 mph, they are categorized as hurricanes.
Atlantic hurricane activity typically increases between August and October, fueled by warm sea surface temperatures. Scientists have noted that climate change is leading to warmer ocean waters, which can result in faster-developing and more powerful storms.
The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30. The bulk of tropical activity tends to occur between mid-August and early October. As of August 2025, Dexter is the fourth named storm, and the next would be called Erin if it forms. Residents and businesses are urged to keep informed through official weather alerts as the season progresses. [News-Journal Online, Aug. 3, 2025]
What People Are Saying
National Hurricane Center forecasters said in an official advisory on August 3, 2025: “Dexter is expected to continue moving away from the U.S. east coast and remain north of Bermuda over the next few days.”
What Happens Next
Dexter is forecast to strengthen slightly before becoming a post-tropical system by Wednesday.
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