Invest 94L
November 7, 2026, at 5:00 AM EST
A gale warning has been issued for the Western Atlantic due to a 1002 mb low-pressure area, Invest AL94, situated near 25.5N62.5W. This disturbance, located several hundred miles south-southeast of Bermuda, is producing disorganized heavy showers and thunderstorms. Gale-force winds are expected in parts of the central subtropical Atlantic through the weekend as the system moves eastward over the next few days.
The monsoon trough enters the Atlantic near 12N16W and transitions to ITCZ, with scattered moderate to strong convection observed from 01N to 14N between 22W and 43W.
In the Gulf of America, a cold front extends from St Petersburg to the NW Gulf, with moderate NNE winds following the fronts and slight seas to 3 ft basin-wide. Moderate to fresh winds are anticipated behind the front as it shifts across the basin into early next week.
The Caribbean Sea sees the influence of Invest AL94 disrupting the trade wind flow, with a 1008 mb low over the Nicaragua offshore waters supporting scattered showers. A weak pressure gradient results in moderate or weaker trade winds and slight seas through early next week, with winds expected to strengthen over the central Caribbean by Tuesday.
In the Atlantic Ocean, aside from Invest AL94, a cold front extends from 31N28W to 26N44W with scattered moderate to strong convection. Strong winds and rough seas between 8 to 12 ft are present north of 23N between 25W and 50W, with conditions expected to persist as Invest AL94 drifts east-northeastward and merges with a developing low over the eastern waters later in the weekend.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecasted an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season for 2025.
Named Storms: 8 to 14
Hurricanes: 3 to 6
Major Hurricanes (Category 3 or higher): 1 to 3
Accumulate Cyclone Energy (ACE): 95% to 180% of the median
Primary Influencing Factor: Developing El Niño conditions expected to suppress Atlantic storm activity
This forecast indicates:
Despite the lower forecast, NOAA emphasizes that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to create a major disaster, and residents in hurricane-prone areas should still prepare as usual for the season.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30Key: Active Past Future
*Press/click the storm name to view additional detailsDespite fewer total storms than forecasted, the 2025 season produced several extremely intense hurricanes, including three Category 5 systems, making it one of the more powerful Atlantic seasons in recent history.
2020 - 30 named storms, 14 hurricanes
Hurricane Katrina (2005) - $125 billion
Harvey (2017) - $125 billion
Hurricane Patricia (2015) - 215 mph (345 km/h)
Hurricane Allen (1980) - 190 mph (305 km/h)
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 rating system that classifies hurricanes based on their sustained wind speeds and the potential damage they can cause. It helps communicate the intensity of hurricanes and the likely impacts on structures and environments. The scale does not account for factors like storm surge or rainfall, focusing only on wind speeds.
Watching the Tropics was originally built as a personal storm tracker with only the most important charts for the Atlantic hurricane basin. Numerous sites are available for tracking hurricanes, but Watching the Tropics minimizes extra "noise" and shows only what you need.
Designed in Florida by
"Watching the tropics" refers to monitoring tropical weather systems, such as tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes, in regions close to the equator. Meteorologists and weather enthusiasts often use this phrase during hurricane season to indicate that they're keeping an eye on developing weather systems that could potentially strengthen and impact areas like the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic Ocean.
Websites, news outlets, or weather services also use "Tropics Watch" to keep the public informed about the latest developments in the tropics, especially during peak hurricane season.
An "invest" refers to an area of disturbed weather that meteorologists are investigating for potential tropical development. The term "invest" is short for "investigation area."
When an area is designated as an invest, it is given a number (between 90 and 99) followed by the letter "L" for systems in the North Atlantic or "E" for systems in the Eastern Pacific. For example, "Invest 91L" would refer to the 91st area of interest in the Atlantic basin for that season.
The designation of an invest allows meteorologists to focus their resources on a specific area, utilize specialized forecasting models, and issue updates as needed.
A tropical depression is a type of tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of less than 39 mph (34 knots or 63 km/h).
Key characteristics:
It's the first stage of development in the tropical cyclone classification used by the National Hurricane Center, followed by tropical storm and then hurricane.
