ORLANDO, Fla. – The tropics are on fire, but Florida is in the clear -- at least in the short-term.
As of 11 p.m. Monday, Hurricane Sam was a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph as it moved northwest at 8 mph.
The center of Sam was about 610 miles east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands. The storm is expected to pick up speed as it moves safely north of the Caribbean Islands on a path close to Bermuda.
Florida and the southeast U.S. will not see direct impacts from Sam, but large waves and strong rip currents will be possible later in the week as Sam lifts north.
Near Bermuda
Showers and thunderstorms associated with the remnants of Peter have become a little better organized since last night.
Peter could briefly become a tropical depression again during the next day or two while it moves northeast at about 10 mph.
By midweek, environmental conditions are expected to become unfavorable for further development. If it does develop, it will retain its previous name of Peter.
The National Hurricane Center gives the disturbance a 60% chance to develop over the next two to five days.
Southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands
A broad area of low pressure continues to move through the eastern Atlantic.
Environmental conditions are forecast to be conducive for further development of the disturbance, and a tropical depression is likely to form around midweek.
The NHC gives the wave an 90% chance to develop over the next five days.
Over Africa
A tropical wave located just offshore the west coast of Africa continues to produce a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms.nday.
Upper-level winds are forecast to be conducive for gradual development thereafter, and a tropical depression is likely to form in a few days.
The NHC gives the wave an 90% chance to develop over the next five days.
The next named storms will be Victor and Wanda.
If all of the names of the 2021 season are exhausted, a supplemental list of names, rather than the Greek Alphabet, will be used to finish the season. This is new for the 2021 season.
Adria is the first name on the supplemental list.
Hurricane season officially runs through November.