We are starting things off in the tropics this week with three tropical storms and two other disturbances.

We had two tropical storms form Sunday in the Atlantic, and another was named very early this morning. Emily was born Sunday morning, followed by Franklin in the afternoon, then Gert was named just after midnight, making it the eighth named storm of the season. Only seven other years on record have had eight or more named storms by Aug. 21.

Two additional disturbances in the tropics, one in the Gulf of Mexico and the other in the eastern Atlantic, have a high chance of intensifying into a named storm in the next few days. Harold is next on the list.

Although none of those systems are expected to impact Florida, Franklin is forecasted to become the second hurricane of the Atlantic season later on this week.

Please keep in mind just because there are no immediate threats for us, the past 6 days should be a reminder that things can change quickly at this time of year. We are expecting the tropics to stay active as we approach peak season the next several weeks. Always be prepared and plugged in by downloading the Florida Storms app.

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