Atlantic Heat: Next Storm Could Be Cristobal

The National Hurricane Center has indicated a significant chance for a new tropical system to form in the Atlantic Ocean this week. As of Tuesday morning, an area of low pressure located southwest of the Cape Verde Islands has a 30% chance of developing within two days and a 70% chance within seven days.

Forecasters predict that environmental conditions will improve, likely leading to the formation of a tropical depression later this week. If this system develops into a named storm, it will be called Tropical Storm Cristobal. This follows a slow start to the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which began on June 1 and runs through November 30, with only two storms, Arthur and Bertha, having formed thus far.

Additionally, two other systems are being monitored. One, located east of the Windward Islands, is not expected to develop due to dry air, though it may bring locally heavy rains and gusty winds to the Lesser Antilles. Another system northeast of Bermuda has a low chance of development but is moving eastward into cooler waters and is not anticipated to form by Thursday.

Updated seasonal forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predict between seven and 13 named storms for the year, with two to six expected to become hurricanes. The peak of the hurricane season, typically running from mid-August to mid-October, has yet to arrive.