No Atlantic Storms Have Made Landfall In Months—But A Tropical Depression Is Headed Toward The Caribbean

Topline

A disturbance east of the Caribbean developed into a tropical depression Wednesday as it heads west toward the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and potentially Florida, making it the first storm in two months that is on track to make landfall in an unusually quiet Atlantic hurricane season.

Key Facts

The National Hurricane Center expects tropical storm watches for some Caribbean islands later on Wednesday as Tropical Depression Seven—which would take the name “Fiona” if its wind speed increases and it’s upgraded to a tropical storm—strengthens and approaches parts of the eastern Caribbean like the Virgin Islands.

The tropical depression has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph and was moving west at 14 mph as of 11 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center, although it’s expected to intensify.

Meteorologists project it will make landfall in the Lesser Antilles by Friday, the Weather Channel reported, possibly making it the first Atlantic storm to hit land since Tropical Storm Colin formed along the coast of South Carolina on July 2.

It’s the third storm to form in the Atlantic this month, following Hurricane Danielle, which fizzled out in a remote section of the North Atlantic, and Hurricane Earl, which brought life-threatening rip currents to parts of the East Coast and Bermuda but avoided both—leading meteorologists to forecast fewer tropical storms this year, as the peak of the hurricane season passes.

Key Background

Even though tropical storm activity has ramped up this month, the storm season is still a shadow of what it has been in recent years. Just five named storms—two hurricanes and three tropical storms—have been recorded this year. The Atlantic hurricane season normally peaks in September, and on average since 1991, eight named storms have typically developed by this point in the year. It’s a surprisingly slow start considering grim projections earlier this year from meteorologists at Colorado State University, who warned there could be as many as 19 named storms and four major hurricanes in the 2022 Atlantic season, which runs from June 1 through November 30. There were no named storms in the month of August, the first time that happened since 1997. At this time last year, six hurricanes and eight tropical storms had formed, including three major hurricanes, causing more than $80 billion in damage, according to National Hurricane Center data.

Surprising Fact

There have only been three years since 1950 with two or fewer named storms between July 2 and September 12 (1968, 1982 and 1992), according to Colorado State University meteorologist Philip Klotzbach.

Further Reading

Disturbance strengthens into Tropical Depression Seven, could become Tropical Storm Fiona soon (Palm Beach Post)

Hurricane Earl Restrengthens Out To Sea—But ‘Life-Threatening’ Rip Currents Threaten East Coast (Forbes)

Hurricane Danielle Forms–The First In An Unusually Quiet Season (Forbes)

2nd Atlantic Hurricane Forms But Won’t Hit U.S.–Another Dud In A Surprisingly Quiet Storm Season (Forbes)