Tropical Storm Gordon has formed in the central Atlantic, the seventh named storm of the season. While that system moves across the Atlantic, there’s a disturbance much closer to the U.S. that is causing concern for some; it could be the next tropical threat to the U.S. East Coast in the coming days.
According to the the National Hurricane Center (NHC) this afternoon, a non-tropical area of low pressure could form along a frontal boundary a few hundred miles off the southeastern U.S. coastline this weekend. Thereafter, the NHC says the low may develop some subtropical or tropical characteristics, and a subtropical or tropical depression could form early next week while the system moves generally northwestward toward the coast. Right now the NHC says there’s only a 10% chance of a tropical or subtropical cyclone forming over the next 48 hours but increases those odds to 40% beyond that. People in the Mid Atlantic, especially from North Carolina to New Jersey, should closely monitor the progress of this system over the weekend.
While that disturbance evolves, meteorologists at the NHC are also keeping an eye on Tropical Storm Gordon which formed today. Located in the central Atlantic about 990 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands, Gordon is no threat to any landmass at this time. A minimal tropical storm with only 40 mph winds and a minimum central pressure of 1006 mb or 29.71″, the storm is moving to the west-northwest at 12 mph. According to the NHC, the storm is expected to move more to the west this weekend and Monday. In the short-term it is forecast to pick up additional strength but the NHC believes it will begin to weaken on Saturday as the system moves into a more hostile environment.
