ORLANDO, Fla. – Four areas, including Tropical storms Paulette and Rene, are swirling in the tropics.
Tropical Storm Paulette formed Monday morning and as of 11 p.m. on Monday, was about 1,230 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands.
Paulette is moving northwest at 5 mph with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Here is the 11 p.m. advisory and forecast track for #Paulette from the National Hurricane Center. Head to https://t.co/El9j1kWdef for more. pic.twitter.com/ZfcB22qnX9
— Samara Cokinos (@CokinosSamaraWx) September 8, 2020
The tropical storm is not expected to impact Florida.
The 2020 hurricane season continues to set records. Paulette is now the earliest “P” storm on record, besting Philippe, which formed in September 2005.
Paulette becomes the earliest P storm on record beating out Philippe from 2005. T.D. 18 likely to form later today. https://t.co/q9FpZLYrXv
— Jonathan Kegges (@JonathanKegges) September 7, 2020
Meanwhile, Tropical Depression 18 has strengthened into Tropical Storm Rene, according to the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center, becoming the earliest-named “R” storm on record. Rita, which formed Sept. 18, 2005, previously held the record.
As of 11 p.m., Rene was about 75 miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands and was moving west-northwest at 14 mph with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.
Tropical storm warnings have been issued for the Cabo Verde Islands, which are expected to see heavy rainfall and tropical storm-force winds Monday night into early Tuesday, according to the Hurricane Center.
The future for this system is uncertain but the latest forecast cones do show it reaching hurricane strength.
Tropical Storm #Rene Advisory 3: Depression Becomes Tropical Storm Rene. Expected to Bring Tropical-Storm-Force Winds and Heavy Rainfall to the Cabo Verde Islands Tonight and Early Tuesday. https://t.co/VqHn0u1vgc
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 7, 2020
“The current track from the National Hurricane Center has T.D. 18 turning north, but if it gets pushed south over the coming days, it could become something Florida needs to pay attention to,” News 6 meteorologist Jonathan Kegges said following an earlier update. “The wave behind it also has the potential to make the long journey across the Atlantic.”
Elsewhere in the Atlantic, two other tropical waves have been highlighted by the National Hurricane Center for possible tropical development.
A disturbance south of Bermuda is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. Slow development is possible over the next several days and has a 30% chance to develop as it moves towards the U.S.
A new tropical wave is forecast to emerge from Africa later in the week. Gradual development is possible once it enters the Atlantic.