Tropical Weather Discussion provided by the NWS National Hurricane Center in Miami outlines current weather conditions impacting North America, Central America, the Gulf of America, the Caribbean Sea, northern sections of South America, and the Atlantic Ocean. The latest analysis highlights a late-season cold front in the Gulf of America, stretching from near Tampa Bay, Florida, down to near Veracruz, Mexico. This front is causing strong to gale-force northerly winds and rough seas, particularly around the Tampico area. Showers and thunderstorms are prevalent over Florida and the northeastern Gulf, leading to gusty winds and increased lightning activity. The front is expected to move and weaken, with marine conditions improving by early Monday.
May 2, 2026, at 8:15 PM EDTTropical waves are being monitored, with the first wave of the season positioned along 33W, south of 12N. Despite hostile dry conditions, scattered moderate convection is present near the wave axis. Elsewhere, over the Gulf of America, strong winds and rough seas prevail behind the cold front. Further south in the Caribbean Sea, pressure gradients support fresh to strong trades, with notable convection over the Yucatan Peninsula and the southwest Caribbean, affecting areas like Colombia and Costa Rica.
In the Atlantic Ocean, a cold front is progressing off the southeast U.S. coast, prompting a frontal band of showers and thunderstorms. High pressure systems are generating winds and seas through different regions, although conditions are expected to stabilize as front patterns dissipate through the upcoming week.
The 2026 Hurricane season starts on June 1, 2026 in
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecasted an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season for 2025.
Named Storms: 13 to 19
Hurricanes: 6 to 10
Major Hurricanes (Category 3 or higher): 3 to 5
Accumulate Cyclone Energy (ACE): 95% to 180% of the median
This forecast indicates a 60% chance of an above-normal season, a 30% chance of a near-normal season, and a 10% chance of a below-normal season.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30Key: Active Past Future
*Press/click the storm name to view additional details2020 - 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.
