Tropical Depression 19 could become tropical storm before bringing heavy rain to Florida Panhandle

RALEIGH, N.C. — The peak of hurricane season is upon us and the tropics are as active as ever.

Sept. 11 was one of the most active points in the annual hurricane season. This year’s hurricane season is on pace to be the most active of all time, so it’s no wonder that the tropics remain very busy.

The National Hurricane Center now says seven tropical waves have formed in the Atlantic storm basin.

Tropical Depression 19 formed near the Bahamas Friday afternoon and could become a tropical storm before it reaches south Florida on Saturday. If not, it will reach tropical storm status when it emerges into the Gulf Of Mexico on Sunday and bring heavy rain to the Florida Panhandle and New Orleans.

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Next up is Tropical Storm Paulette with maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour. Paulette is moving northwest at 16 mph.

Paulette is expected approach Bermuda as a hurricane on Sunday or Monday.

After hitting Bermuda, the storm is expected to turn north and stay away from the United States. Swells from Paulette are expected to impact parts of the Leeward Islands, the Greater Antilles, the Bahamas, Bermuda and the southeastern United States.

Tropical Storm Rene is moving northwest at 14 mph with sustained winds of 40 miles per hour. Rene could strengthen into a hurricane, but it will remain harmlessly out to sea.

What happens when we run out of letters of the alphabet for hurricane names?

The west coast of Africa is busy; there are two tropical waves developing near the continent.

One tropical wave located several hundred miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands has an 80 percent chance of formation in the next 48 hours.

The other wave off Africa’s coast has a 30 percent chance of formation in the next 48 hours but a 60 percent chance through the next five days.

The next storm to become a tropical storm will be named Sally, meaning there are only four more letters in the alphabet for storm names this year (Sally, Teddy, Vicky, Wilfred). Here’s what happens if we run out of names.

The last time that happened was 2005–which is the current record holder for the most active hurricane season ever.