The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has just upgraded Potential Tropical Cyclone #15 to Tropical Depression #15 and forecasts it to become Tropical Storm and eventually Hurricane Maria soon. The system is forecast to become Tropical Storm Maria later tonight and become Hurricane Maria by Tuesday morning. On the current forecast track from the NHC, the storm will be dangerously close to the islands recently impacted by Major Hurricane Irma.
Due to that threat, Tropical Storm Watches have already been issued for St. Lucia, Martinique, Gaudeloupe, and Dominica.
Global forecasting guidance, including the American GFS and European ECMWF models, suggest that Maria could be a significant east coast hurricane in about 7-10 days. While it is too soon to say with certainty how Maria will evolve with time, it is important that absolutely everyone on the US East Coast have a Hurricane Action Plan in order before these tropical threats arrive.
Global forecasting guidance, including the American GFS and European ECMWF models, suggest that Maria could be a significant east coast hurricane in about 7-10 days. While it is too soon to say with certainty how Maria will evolve with time, it is important that absolutely everyone on the US East Coast have a Hurricane Action Plan in order before these tropical threats arrive.
Experts believe this Atlantic Hurricane Season, which runs through to the end of November, will be a busy one. Dr. Phil Klotzbach and the experts at Colorado State University updated their seasonal outlook again on July 5, showing a much more active than normal season expected. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also released their own forecast which shows this hurricane season to be likely more active than others.
