Invest 94L
The National Hurricane Center is currently monitoring several tropical disturbances in the Atlantic, highlighting a particularly active hurricane season. Among these systems, Invest 94L has caught significant attention as it develops over the ocean with the potential to impact Florida. Forecasters have been analyzing spaghetti models to determine possible trajectories, indicating that this system may strengthen into a named storm in the coming days. Florida residents are urged to stay updated on the developments and prepare for any potential impact from the storm.
Alongside Invest 94L, another system, Invest 92L, is being tracked with similar concern for potential impacts on the Southeast U.S. coast. While these systems' exact paths are still uncertain, meteorologists are closely observing their movements and intensification patterns. Models show both systems could potentially converge or alter courses based on shifting atmospheric conditions. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is issuing regular updates, urging people in the potentially affected areas to remain vigilant as these tropical disturbances evolve.
August 19, 2026, at 12:15 AM EDT
The tropical weather discussion covers several active tropical waves, with the eastern Atlantic tropical wave along 28N moving west at 10-15 kt, accompanied by moderate convection from 07N to 14N between 24W and 34.5W. A central Atlantic tropical wave near 47W shows no significant activity, while an eastern Caribbean wave near 66W has isolated moderate convection south of 11.5N between 63W and the wave axis. A previously analyzed wave has moved to the eastern Pacific.
In the Gulf of America, weak high pressure supports moderate to fresh winds in the NE and southern Gulf areas, with scattered moderate to strong convection depicted over the Bay of Campeche. A diurnally induced trough will cause fresh to strong winds north and west of Yucatan each evening, spreading into the SW Gulf at night. Moderate seas are expected.
The Caribbean Sea sees moderate to fresh trades and 5-8 ft seas from 66W with locally strong winds near Colombia, along with thunderstorms from Costa Rica to NE Honduras. The forecast anticipates fresh to strong trade winds in the south-central Caribbean, with moderate trades and seas elsewhere through the weekend.
In the Atlantic, a stationary front extends from 31N50W, with scattered showers and thunderstorms, while a broad ridge near 40W33W dominates the tropical Atlantic. Moderate to fresh northerly winds are found in the far eastern Atlantic. Saharan air persists east of the Caribbean and over the southern Bahamas, central and NW Caribbean, and SE Gulf of America. Forecasts predict weakening frontal boundaries and light to gentle winds in the north, with moderate to fresh easterly winds south of 22N.
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.
