Invest 94L
As the Atlantic hurricane season progresses, meteorologists are closely monitoring the development of Invest 94L, a disturbance being tracked for potential tropical cyclone formation. The current spaghetti models suggest that Invest 94L is located in the central Atlantic Ocean and has shown signs of gradual organization, which could lead to further strengthening. Despite the uncertainty in its path, forecasters are evaluating various scenarios that may affect Florida and other parts of the southeastern United States. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has advised the public to stay informed with regular updates as the situation develops.
While Invest 94L garners attention, it is not the only system being tracked this season; Invest 92L and other disturbances have also been monitored for potential impact. The interplay between these systems could influence weather patterns and pose challenges in predicting their exact paths. Florida residents have been urged to review their hurricane preparedness plans due to the unpredictable nature of these storms. As meteorologists continue to gather data, the importance of vigilance and readiness for potential tropical weather impacts remains emphasized throughout the region.
A far eastern Atlantic tropical wave located near 19W/20W is moving westward at 10-15 knots with scattered showers and thunderstorms between 09N and 12N. Another tropical wave along 41W in the eastern Atlantic is moving west at 15 to 20 knots without notable convection. In the Caribbean, a tropical wave along 75W is moving west at about 15 knots, with a few thunderstorms near 15N76W. Meanwhile, the monsoon trough spans from 18N16W to 14N20W and beyond, accompanied by moderate to strong convection south of the trough.
In the Gulf of America, a mid to upper-level trough from Georgia to Florida is causing showers and thunderstorms in the north-central Gulf. A 1018 mb high pressure system is present over the central Gulf, supporting moderate southeast winds in the southwest with seas of 3-5 feet. Light to gentle breezes prevail elsewhere. The forecast indicates the continuation of weak high pressure, gentle to moderate winds, and slight seas. Fresh winds are expected near the Yucatan Peninsula in the evenings.
The Caribbean Sea sees fresh to strong trades in the south-central basin, supported by pressure differences between Bermuda and Colombia. Moderate trades exist elsewhere, except gentle in the northwest. Forecasting indicates consistent trade winds and rough seas in the south-central Caribbean, with moderate conditions elsewhere. A tropical wave will enhance trade winds early next week in the eastern Caribbean.
In the Atlantic Ocean, a low east-southeast of Bermuda and accompanying troughs are causing showers and thunderstorms. A 1021 mb high near 26N68W is supporting fresh winds along Hispaniola's north coast. In the eastern Atlantic, a 1028 mb high southwest of the Azores supports moderate to fresh winds and rough seas off Mauritania and Senegal. Forecasts predict moderate to fresh trades south of 23N, with potential strong pulsing off northern Hispaniola at night and some enhancement from a tropical wave early next week.
August 21, 2026, at 2:15 PM EDTThe 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.
