Hurricanes

Hilary is hammering the southwest US with dangerous rainfall. And the Atlantic is heating up. Two named storms have formed in the last 24 hours.

Hilary is about to soak the Southwestern US. Flooding is expected for parts of California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. All of Texas is watching for a tropical wave to enter the Gulf of Mexico, hoping for rain and cooler temps to arrive to the Lone Star State.

There is a lot to discuss in the tropics! Hilary is all the talk for this weekend but the Atlantic Basin is going off. NHC now watching 4 areas for development of tropical cyclones.

Tropical Weather Forecast - August 17, 2023

The Atlantic is starting to wake up, with several areas being monitored for development including one in the Gulf. The Pacific is also fairly active, with 3 named systems and one additional area that could develop.

When the lights go out during a storm, you may wonder how you're going to charge your phone. FOX 26 Meteorologist John Dawson shows us a device that uses wind power.

More named storms forming in the Pacific, say hello to Greg. The Atlantic Basin is heating up with the National Hurricane Center focused on two different areas.

It's the middle of August, and as expected the Atlantic Basin is showing signs of life. Look for a named storm or two over the next week.

We are continuing to track the tropics.

Hurricane Dora is now Typhoon Dora. Saharan dust is thick across the Atlantic but outlooks expect more activity soon as the dust starts to decrease.

An above normal remainder of the hurricane season is forecast for the Atlantic basin even though things remain quiet for now. Saharan dust is expected to decrease over the next few weeks and water temperatures are super warm. So this could mean an increase in tropical activity late August and especially September. So stay alert! Elsewhere in the eastern Pacific, three systems are being monitored for potential tropical cyclone development over the next week. Two of these systems have a high chance to form into a tropical depression or storm. Hurricane Dora is far SW of Hawaii and will cross into the western Pacific soon switching to a "typhoon".

Saharan Dust continues to impact much of the Atlantic hindering tropical cyclone development for now. Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean are also quiet. But the rest of the hurricane season is still expected to get active with NOAA now predicting 14-21 named storms, 6-11 hurricanes, and 2-5 major hurricanes. Hurricane Dora is still fairly strong now SW of Hawaii with 3 other tropical waves that could develop in the eastern Pacific. Stay alert as things could get active quickly over the next month in the tropics.

The Gulf Coast knows all too well about the devastation a hurricane can create. Over the last four decades, storms have caused an average of more than $22 billion in damage. FOX's Bowen Kedrowicz is in Mississippi where one storm chaser is on a mission to build a house that can withstand category 5 hurricane winds.

All is quiet in the Tropical Atlantic with no tropical cyclones expected to form over the next few days. Three areas are being monitored for possible development in the eastern Pacific. Hurricane Dora is still going strong, now SW of Hawaii. But the pressure change between Dora south of Hawaii and high-pressure north of Hawaii contributed to strong winds that helped fuel massive wildfires on the Hawaiian Island of Maui today.

Things are still quiet across the Atlantic Basin with no tropical cyclones expected to develop over the next few days. Dora remains a powerful hurricane in the central Pacific well south of Hawaii but is expected to remain over water. Saharan dust is still present across much of the Atlantic limiting tropical development. But as this dust goes away over the coming weeks, very warm water temperatures could mean an uptick in tropical activity...stay tuned.

For the north Atlantic, Caribbean Sea & Gulf of Mexico, tropical cyclone formation is not expected over the next 7 days. The eastern Pacific, however, remains unsettled with a hurricane, tropical storm and a possible area of development that is being watched. Hurricane Dora remains strong but is passing well south of Hawaii. Tropical Storm Eugene should lose tropical characteristics over the next 24 hours as it moves over cooler waters. Things are still expected to get more active in the Atlantic basin over the coming weeks with August and September being the most active part of hurricane season.

Part of your hurricane supplies should include a battery-powered light. Most people think of a hand-held flashlight, but Meteorologist John Dawson is taking a look at an LED lantern.

August is when tropical cyclone activity should increase across the Atlantic Basin, but things are quiet for now. Do you remember how many named storms have formed so far in 2023? (this is kind of a trick question)

The Atlantic is quiet now but the experts at Colorado State University are expecting things to become active over the next couple months. Have you seen the latest numbers from Dr. Philip Klotzbach and his team?