Tropical Storm Zeta forms in the Atlantic, on path to approach Gulf Coast

By Peta Sheerwood, WRAL meteorologist; Maggie Brown, WRAL multiplatform producer

As if 2020 couldn’t get any crazier, we will likely break the record for the most named storms in an active Atlantic hurricane season this year.

Tropical Storm Zeta formed early Sunday morning in the Gulf of Mexico, being the the 27th named storm this seas tying a previous record from 2005.

Models predict that the storm could make landfall in the United States and take aim at the Gulf Coast. Until Wednesday, Zeta is expected to bring heavy rain and wind to central and western Cuba, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, the northeast Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, southern Florida and the Florida Keys.

Wind could also impact Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle.

We still have more than one month left of Hurricane season to go and we will probably see named more storms before the season ends. The next storm that will get a name will be called “Eta.” 

A tropical storm is named when it has wind speeds as strong as 39 mph.

Hurricane Epsilon has been downgraded to a Category 1 storm. The hurricane is expected to lift north, then east and then weaken even more in the northern Atlantic. Epsilon will likely weaken into a tropical storm on Sunday.

Because of tropic activity, there is a risk for high rip currents on the North Carolina coast. If you do find yourself in a rip current stay calm and swim parallel to the shore.