Tropical Storm Gamma Forms, Adding to Record-Breaking Season


Caribbean Sea

After a quiet stretch, Tropical Storm Gamma has formed in the Caribbean Sea.


What You Need To Know

  • Tropical Gamma has formed in the Caribbean
  • New Tropical Storm will impact areas near the Yucatán Peninsula
  • The system will likely bring heavy rain and flash flooding
  • Tropical Storm Gamma adds to the record-breaking Atlantic season

The new system started taking shape earlier this week. Right now it will continue to move on a northwest track.

As of now, direct impacts to the U.S. are not likely.

However, over the next few days, regardless of further development, heavy rain and flash flooding are possible over southeastern Mexico, Central America, and western Cuba.

Tropical storm watches and warnings are in effect for much of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. 

The Record-Breaking Atlantic Season

Another area of disturbance to the west of the eastern Caribbean is also looking to move northwest through the Caribbean Sea. This area has a medium chance of further development over the next five days.

Even though activity is on the lower side for now, the season has already exceeded forecasted expectations. We’ve made it through the entirety of the Atlantic names list, breaking many records for earliest named storms.

The National Hurricane Center named three storms on the same day, September 18, leading to another dubious record for this hurricane season. This pushed us into the Greek alphabet. We’ve now crossed Alpha, Beta and Gamma off the list, both the earliest times on record for those names in the Greek alphabet.

It is the earliest Gamma name on record.

It’s only the second time ever the Atlantic hurricane season has dipped into the Greek alphabet. We made it all the way to Zeta in the historic 2005 season.

 


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