New Tropical System Over the Atlantic Ocean Could Threaten US by Mid-September

A tropical system hovering above the Atlantic Ocean could threaten the United States by mid-September with the possibility of heavy rain and strong winds in the coming days. The developing weather disturbance comes after the passage of Hurricane Lee along the country's East Coast, which now poses a risk off the coast of eastern Canada.

US Weather Forecast

As part of the latest U.S. weather forecast, the National Hurricane Center (NHC), as of 8:00 a.m. EDT (local time) on Wednesday, September 13, shows the new tropical system formed not only after Hurricane Lee but also Hurricane Margot. The system, designated as Invest 97L or AL97, is a low pressure area covering a large part of the eastern tropical side of the Atlantic Ocean.

The hurricane center is predicting a 50% chance of cyclone formation for the system within 48 hours. Moving in a 'west-northwestward to a northwestward' pattern at a speed of 10 to 15 miles per hour, the said Atlantic weather disturbance is expected to exhibit gradual development into a potential Atlantic storm or hurricane in the next few days.

During this period, eastern coastal areas along South America, the Caribbean, and the U.S., particularly Florida, could experience moderate to strong winds and flooding caused by either heavy rain or coastal erosion. Power outages and disruption of flights are also possible across the said regions.

Atlantic Tropical Wave

As mentioned earlier, the NHC named the system or tropical wave as Invest 97L and it will slowly move westward by the end of the week, wherein it is expected to become more organized even by the upcoming weekend, according to AccuWeather hurricane experts.

The said AccuWeather meteorologists are closely monitoring a zone impacted by the tropical system, which causes disorganized showers and thunderstorms, particularly between the coast of West Africa and the Leeward Islands.

As of Wednesday morning, there is still no forecast regarding the exact landfall of the system, especially under the condition that it strengthens into a more organized storm or hurricane.

2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season

Last week, AccuWeather also forecasted that the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season will lead to the spawning of more "powerhouse storms." Under the forecast, the number of major hurricanes or at least Category 3 will increase. The Atlantic hurricane season spans from June 1 to November 30 every year.

In addition to the long-term hurricane forecast, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in May this year predicted a near-normal 2023 Atlantic hurricane season. Meanwhile, the NOAA still expected the possibility of an above-normal season or below-normal season, which both have 30% chance.

The weather and climatic factors that can affect the formation of storms, hurricanes, and even major hurricanes include the El Nino climate pattern that brings above-average temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean.

In 2022, the U.S. saw the formation of 14 named storms, including eight that became hurricanes and two that intensified to major hurricanes with wind strength reaching at least 111 miles per hour.