Tracking the Tropics: Earl forecast to become first major hurricane of 2022
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- Just in time for the statistical peak of hurricane season, activity in the tropics is really starting to heat up, with two hurricanes and two disturbances being monitored in the Atlantic.
Hurricane Danielle and Hurricane Earl are still churning over the Atlantic Ocean, with Earl expected to become the first major hurricane of the year soon. The National Hurricane Center is also keeping an eye on two new disturbances that could form in the coming days.
Hurricane Danielle
According to the NHC, Danielle is still a "large hurricane" over the far north Atlantic. The storm is holding on to Category 1 hurricane strength with 80 mph maximum sustained winds as of 11 a.m. ET Wednesday. The NHC said Danielle is expected to start weakening later Wednesday and become a post-tropical cyclone by Thursday.
Danielle is out over open water, several hundred miles northwest of the Azores. It does not pose any threat to land, according to the NHC.
Hurricane Earl
As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, Earl is a Category 1 hurricane with 85 mph maximum sustained winds. According to the NHC, Earl is expected to strengthen in the coming days and become a major hurricane on Thursday. It would be the first major hurricane of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season.
Hurricane Earl is about 460 miles south of Bermuda and moving north at 8 mph. The NHC said the storm is forecast to keep moving north and then turn toward the northeast.
A tropical storm warning is in effect for Bermuda, despite the storm track showing Earl pass to the southeast of the island. The NHC said tropical-storm-force winds are expected to spread across the island Thursday and Friday.
Earl is also expected to bring dangerous surf and rip current conditions to the east coast of the United States.
"Swells generated by Earl are expected to reach Bermuda by [Wednesday night] and the U.S. East Coast shortly thereafter," the NHC said. "These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions through the weekend."
Invest 95L
The NHC is also monitoring an area of low pressure, deemed Invest 95L, that's producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms several hundred miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands.
According to a tropical weather outlook, conditions look favorable for some development of Invest 95L in the coming days. The NHC said a tropical depression could form as the disturbance moves west over the Atlantic. It's then expected to run into upper-level winds that are less favorable for development.
The NHC has given Invest 95L a medium 60 percent chance of formation.
Tropical wave
A tropical wave expected to move off the coast of Africa later this week is also being watched by the NHC.
Forecasters said conditions appear favorable for some slow development as the wave moves across the Atlantic.
The NHC has given the wave a low, near zero percent chance of formation through the next 48 hours and a low 30 percent chance of formation through the next five days.
Peak hurricane season
The statistical peak of hurricane season is this weekend, on Sept. 10. Roughly two-thirds of all tropical systems in the Atlantic basin form in August or September.
Tracking the Tropics streams at 2 p.m. ET every Wednesday during hurricane season. For the latest updates, check out our Tracking the Tropics website.