Tropical Update -- Southeast coast system possible

The Atlantic tropical season continues unabated, with Nigel and two other areas of concern.

Hurricane Nigel continues to churn over the very warm waters of the central Atlantic far from land. It will continue to strengthen today as it curves towards the Northwest and eventually the northeast this week as it moves around a large high-pressure area over the Azores. It will remain far from land until at later this weekend, when its remnants could bring windy conditions to Ireland and British Isles.

Even though it will not be an immediate threat to land, Nigel could be noteworthy. Although some dry air and upper-level winds have kept Nigel from strengthening overnight, it still has a slim chance to strengthen into a major hurricane before it moves into the north Atlantic and loses its tropical characteristics. It would be the season’s fourth hurricane to reach that threshold.

In an average season, there are only three major hurricanes, and they usually occur in late October. This year is running well above average, with Nigel being the 14th named system of the year. This is above average for a hurricane season, and there are still more than two months left in the season.

With the seasonal peak upon us, two other areas of interest are being watched. A tropical wave rolling off Africa’s west coast will move into the eastern tropical Atlantic. The very warm waters here could help turn this tropical wave into a more organized system.

These Cabo Verde systems often form this time of year over the far eastern Atlantic and take more than week to cross the Atlantic to become a threat. There is a large amount of time to track this system.

Finally, a low-pressure system expected to develop off the Southeast coast on Thursday could tap the Gulf Stream and develop into a sub-tropical or tropical system by the upcoming weekend. If it does develop, it could produce high waves along the East Coast and even send downpours into the Mid-Atlantic and Carolinas, increasing the chance of flash flooding.

Weather & Radar will be providing updates of the tropics all season long. Check back often for the latest details and track all about the storms’ developments using our WeatherRadar.

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