Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Forensics
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
Tropical rainstorm hits Louisiana, bringing flooding risk & torrential downpours. Click for details Chevron right
Flash flood dangers far from over as storms reload across US. Chevron right

Columbus, OH

86°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

86°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Forensics

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Weather News

Forecasters keeping a watchful eye on Atlantic basin as season heads into 'tropical red zone'

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

Published Aug 21, 2019 2:44 PM EDT | Updated Sep 4, 2019 3:31 PM EDT

Copied

AccuWeather Chief Video Meteorologist Bernie Rayno explains why this time of year is typically an active period in the Atlantic.

AccuWeather forecasters are keeping a watchful eye on the skies over the Atlantic hundreds of miles off the southeastern coast of the United States as peak hurricane season, or the "tropical red zone" as AccuWeather Chief Broadcast Meteorologist Bernie Rayno likes to call it, gets underway in earnest.

The Atlantic hurricane season peaks around Sept. 11, on average, and just this week a brief tropical storm flirted with hurricane forecasters. During the next couple of weeks, the risk of additional tropical storm and hurricane formation will increase substantially from its midsummer lull.

Tropical Storm Chantal formed late Monday evening over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream in the North Atlantic, becoming the third named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. By Wednesday night, Chantal had been downgraded to a tropical depression. The storm poses no threat to land, but will stir up a zone of rough seas and squalls for any ships moving through that area.

When Chantal was named, it became "the highest latitude named storm formation for an Atlantic tropical cyclone since Alberto in 1988," according to Colorado State University Meteorologist Phil Klotzbach.

chantal

But things can change rapidly, particularly given the developing conditions in the Atlantic Ocean and in the atmosphere above it. As Rayno puts it, "The entire Atlantic basin is open for business."

That sentiment that is echoed by AccuWeather's top hurricane meteorologist.

"We are within the most likely time of the year for tropical development across the Atlantic basin and any feature that can acquire a low-level circulation can also evolve into an organized tropical feature," according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski.

A batch of showers and thunderstorms associated with a weak tropical disturbance, or wave, will move over the northwestern Gulf of Mexico into Friday.

Gulf Thursday Aug 22

This image taken on August 22, 2019, shows an uptick in thunderstorms over the western and northern Gulf of Mexico. (NOAA/GOES-East)

NOAA

Downpours and squalls associated with this feature are then expected to drift northward toward the upper Gulf coast this weekend.

While this feature does not represent a threat for high winds and storm surge, it is likely to pack enough rain to be a concern for flooding as it moves into the Deep South of the U.S.

SE US This Weekend

Part of the upper Gulf coast has been hammered with heavy rainfall from a non-tropical feature during the first part of this week.

Another area of concern that has caught the attention of forecasters is a cluster of thunderstorms over the Bahamas associated with a weak disturbance that developed this week.

US East Coast Threat

"Historically, this is an area where there has been quick development of weak features," Kottlowski said.

Florida Bahamas Thursday Aug 22

This image taken on Thursday, August 22, 2019, shows a batch of showers and thunderstorms over the Bahamas with Florida on the left. The disturbance associated with the mass of moisture is forecast to drift across part of the Florida Peninsula spanning Friday and Saturday. (NOAA/GOES-East)

NOAA

"Sea-surface temperatures are sufficiently warm for development, but wind shear is likely to inhibit development into this weekend," Kottlowski added.

A front is forecast to stall along the southeastern coast of the U.S. and a storm may form along this front this weekend.

"It is possible these features coalesce and slowly give birth to a tropical system by early next week," Kottlowski said.

Beach and cruise interests should monitor the situation as near-shore tropical storm formation may result in little time to prepare for direct impacts such as building seas, rough surf and perhaps something more severe.

RELATED:

AccuWeather's 2019 Atlantic hurricane season forecastrn
What is wind shear and how does it impact hurricanes, other tropical cyclones?
Experts share tips on how to prepare children for hurricanes

Exact movement of that system is uncertain until it actually forms. However, close proximity to the coast and steering winds could guide such a feature onshore into the U.S. Another scenario develops this feature by Monday, but takes it offshore of the northeastern U.S. during the middle of next week.

Meanwhile, batches of thunderstorms will continue to move westward from Africa every few days. These tropical waves make up the backbone of the hurricane season.

Atlantic wide shot Thurs Aug 22

This image taken on Thursday, August 22, 2019, shows much of the tropical Atlantic Basin with Africa on the right, South America over the lower center and the Caribbean Sea and southeastern U.S. to the upper left. At this time cloud masses associated with showers and thunderstorms lack organization. (NOAA/GOES-East)

As levels of dry air, dust and wind shear gradually diminish over the basin in the next few weeks, not only will the potential for tropical development increase, but perhaps the risk of explosive organization and strengthening of newly formed systems.

An area to watch in terms of tropical activity around the Labor Day weekend will be just north of the Caribbean Sea to the Bahamas.

Tropical Atlantic Labor Day

Likewise, the Gulf of Mexico may be an area to watch for a tropical feature to spin up during the last days of August and into the first days of September.

The next names on the list of tropical storms in the Atlantic are Dorian and Erin.

Download the free AccuWeather app to stay alert of tropical and severe weather advisories. Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.

Report a Typo

Weather News

Weather News

Powerful earthquake rattles Alaska, prompted rare tsunami warning

Jul. 17, 2025
Weather News

Inside the grueling recovery effort after Texas’ deadly flood

Jul. 15, 2025
Severe Weather

Flash flooding swamps Northeast metro areas as extreme rain threatens ...

Jul. 15, 2025
Weather News

The Deadliest Floods in Texas History: A State at Risk

Jul. 16, 2025
video

Before-and-after pictures show devastation caused by Texas floods

Jul. 9, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather News

Lightning strike kills one, injures several young scouts in New Jersey

2 hours ago

Weather Forecasts

When will the Northeast get relief from the heat and humidity?

3 hours ago

Weather Forecasts

Flash flood risk to focus on parts of central US into next week

38 minutes ago

AccuWeather Ready

Is your house in a flood zone? This map has the answer

6 days ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Astronomy

Noctilucent clouds shimmer in summer sky

19 hours ago

Recreation

Yellowstone’s landscape shifts again with discovery of new hot pool

4 hours ago

Weather News

Orcas are bringing humans gifts of food – but why?

6 days ago

Weather News

Giant shoes found spark mystery around the soldiers of ancient Rome

2 days ago

Weather News

It’s not just humans – chimpanzees also like to follow trends

2 days ago

AccuWeather Weather News Forecasters keeping a watchful eye on Atlantic basin as season heads into 'tropical red zone'
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...