The third named storm of the year is brewing on the first day of hurricane season

By Haley Brink, CNN Meteorologist

CNN — Monday marks the first day of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs through November 30, and another named storm is brewing in the Gulf of Mexico.

Nearly all weather entities — government agencies, institutions, and private companies — are forecasting for an above-average hurricane season for 2020.

Two tropical storms, Arthur and Bertha formed in May. The next named storm that develops this season will be Cristobal.

“Warmer than normal ocean temperatures in the Atlantic are part of the reason this season kicked off early,” CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller said. “It looks like another system is poised to form this week in the Gulf of Mexico, where ocean temperatures are running 1-2 degrees Fahrenheit above average.”

The National Hurricane Center is monitoring a large area of disturbed weather over southern Mexico and has given the area an 80% chance of development over the Bay of Campeche in the next 48 hours.

This large disturbance was once Tropical Storm Amanda, which formed quickly across the eastern Pacific over the weekend but has since dissipated over Central America and southern Mexico.

“Even though this system will originate from the remnants of Tropical Storm Amanda, it will get a new name, likely Cristobal, simply because it moved from the Pacific Ocean basin into the Atlantic Ocean basin, by way of Mexico,” said CNN Meteorologist Allison Chinchar.

In the short term, little movement is expected, as this system churns over southern Mexico, bringing heavy rain, flash flooding, and mudslides to the region. In the long term, this storm could track into the Gulf of Mexico by the weekend, becoming our third named Atlantic tropical storm of the season, Cristobal.

“Under the constant shadow of the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s hurricane season will be extraordinarily challenging especially if a high-impact event comes ashore. With already stretched resources and limited supplies, now is the time for people to prepare for the active season that is forecast,” said CNN Meteorologist Derek Van Dam.