Meteorologists: Oceana Hayden and David Nazario
•8/8/2026
As of the 8 p.m. outlook, the National Hurricane Center has increased one area of interest to a 40% chance of formation over the next seven days.
This is associated with a tropical wave that has yet to make its exit off the coast of Africa. Gradual development is looking more likely after it does so, and a tropical depression could form during the second half of next week as the system travels generally westward.
As it organizes further, it should begin to feel a weakness in our Atlantic high pressure, and slowly drift more northward before impacting the Lesser Antilles.
Stay with the Weather Authority for all the latest information on the tropics.
While development does seem doable in the short-term, we have several hurdles to overcome before anyone needs to start worrying. Present wind shear and leftover dry air further west of where these two features are currently located leave little room for plentiful strengthening.
Alongside the hostility of our tropical Atlantic basin, the Bermuda-Azores high that we usually look at to forecast where systems could track is weaker as you get closer to the mainland United States.
The strongest center of the high is also located further east, towards the Azores of the east/northeast Atlantic.
This would give anything spinning across the ocean a chance to climb north away from our friends in the Caribbean and avoid getting close enough to cause concern here in Florida.
The WINK Weather Authority will closely monitor any new trends as we move through time. I fully anticipate perhaps one or two more areas being tagged by the National Hurricane Center before the month of August is all said and done. So, be sure to check back with us periodically as we track the tropics!
