Tropical Storm Harvey Forms, Disturbance Eyes Florida

TAMPA, FL — The National Hurricane Center was keeping close tabs on four storm systems Thursday evening. While Hurricane Gert had weakened to become a post-tropical cyclone, Tropical Storm Harvey officially became the season's eighth named storm. Meanwhile, two other systems remain under watch, including one that is heading in Florida's general direction.

Gert was located about 860 miles east of Halifax, Nova Scotia, as of Thursday night. She started out the day as a Category 2 storm, but rapidly weakened after encountering colder waters in the north Atlantic Ocean. As of the center's 8 p.m. Aug. 17 update, Gert was packing maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. She was heading east-northeast at an estimated 39 mph.

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As Gert speeds toward her demise, Tropical Storm Harvey is heading toward the Windward Islands. As of the center's 8 p.m. Aug. 17 update, Harvey was located about 205 miles east of Barbados. The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 40 mph. The system is expected to strengthen over the next 48 hours as it enters the Caribbean Sea.

As of Thursday evening, tropical storm warnings had gone up for Martinique, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Warnings mean tropical storm conditions are expected within 24 hours. A tropical storm watch had also gone up for Dominica. A watch means tropical storm conditions are possible within 24 hours.

• See also: ‘Extremely Active’ Hurricane Season Possible: NOAA’s Adjusted Forecast

The first disturbance under watch is an area of low pressure that was located about 1,000 miles east of the Leeward Islands as of Thursday evening. Forecasters said only a little increase in organization was noted between the 2 and 8 p.m. updates. Even so, "only a slight increase in the organization of the shower activity could lead to the formation of a tropical depression during the next couple of days." The system is expected to encounter less favorable conditions early next week.

Forecasters say the storm is moving west-northwest at 20 mph. The system has been given a 70 percent chance of developing more over the next 48 hours.

The second system under watch is a tropical wave that was located a few hundred miles west and southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands Thursday evening. Forecasters say the storm remains disorganized, but could develop more through the middle of next week. It is moving in a west-northwest direction around 20 mph. That system has a zero-percent chance of forming more over the next 48 hours, the hurricane center noted. Those chances do rise to 30 percent over the next five days.

Should the systems develop enough to earn names, the next two up are Irma and Jose.

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While it’s still too early to tell what, if any, impacts the storms may have on Florida or the eastern seaboard, the uptick in activity serves as a reminder that the peak of the season has arrived.

Forecasters call the period between mid-August and mid-October the “season within the season.” This eight-week period “is often the most active and dangerous time for tropical cyclone activity,” according to NOAA.

The peak period is historically responsible for major spikes in tropical weather activity, NOAA said. In fact, it accounts for roughly 78 percent of all tropical storm days on record. It is also the period when 87 percent of the category 1 and 2 hurricane days on record occurred. In addition, this period is responsible for “a whopping 96 percent of the major (category 3, 4 and 5) hurricane days.”

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 each year. Average seasons produce about 12 named storms, of which six become hurricanes. Three of the hurricanes are generally deemed major.

Residents readying for the ongoing season can get tips and advice on the federal government’s Ready.gov website.

Graphics courtesy of the National Hurricane Center