The National Hurricane Center on Monday increased the odds a tropical wave in the far eastern Atlantic could develop into the season’s next tropical depression or storm.
As of the NHC’s 8 a.m. tropical outlook, the system that emerged off the coast of Africa since Sunday was producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms.
“Environmental conditions appear conducive for slow development of this system, and a tropical depression could form later this week or next weekend,” forecasters said. “This system is expected to move westward to west-northwestward at around 15 mph across the eastern and central tropical Atlantic throughout the week.”
The NHC gave it a 40% chance to develop in the next seven days.
8 pm ET Aug 31 – NHC is monitoring a tropical wave over the far eastern Atlantic that has a medium chance of developing into a tropical depression during the next week. Visit https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb for updates. pic.twitter.com/0YQtNGK9c6
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 31, 2025
If it develops, it would be the seventh tropical cyclone of the season and could become Tropical Storm Gabrielle.
The most recent, Tropical Storm Fernand, became post-tropical early Thursday in the north Atlantic.
Only one of the six named storms has reached hurricane status. What had been Hurricane Erin, which grew to Category 5 major hurricane status with 160 mph winds, ended up not making landfall, but did prompt warnings in the Caribbean and U.S. Atlantic coast earlier this month.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in early August updated its season forecast to call for 13-18 named storms this year, of which five to nine would grow into hurricanes. Two to five of those would develop into major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher.
The height of hurricane season runs from mid-August into October while the entire six-month season runs June 1 to Nov. 30.
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