Invest 98L
Weather forecasters are closely monitoring Invest 98L, a developing weather system currently situated in the Caribbean. The National Hurricane Center in Florida is tracking this system as it moves rapidly through the region, with increasing chances of further development. Meteorologists are analyzing conditions to determine if Invest 98L could evolve into a tropical storm, potentially named Melissa, as it progresses. The focus remains on assessing the path and intensity of the system to provide timely updates and warnings.
As the system advances into the Central Atlantic, expectations for its development are rising, prompting increased vigilance among meteorologists. Various meteorological models are being evaluated to ascertain the potential impact this system could have, particularly on areas like Florida. The speed and trajectory of Invest 98L are under constant scrutiny, emphasizing the need for residents in potentially affected regions to stay informed of any changes. With conditions conducive to development, the system's evolution is a key area of focus for forecasters in the coming days.
September 18, 2026, at 5:00 AM EDT
A central Atlantic tropical wave is moving westward, generating scattered moderate convection. Another tropical wave in the central Caribbean is also moving westward with scattered moderate convection noted along its axis. The monsoon trough in the Atlantic is generating scattered convection aside from that associated with the tropical waves.
In the Gulf of America, troughs are causing scattered moderate convection with fresh northeast to east winds and moderate seas over the northern Gulf, expected to spread and then improve going into the weekend. An upper-level low will move towards Florida and the Gulf, increasing shower and thunderstorm activity.
The Caribbean Sea experiences fresh to strong trades over the south-central region, with moderate to rough seas, and active weather due to upper-level disturbances causing scattered showers and thunderstorms. Winds are expected to diminish towards the weekend.
The Atlantic Ocean features a stationary front causing moderate to fresh northeast winds and moderate seas. Scattered moderate convection is observed associated with upper-level and surface troughs. Fresh to strong winds are noted near the Canary Islands, with general improvement expected in the region due to high pressure dominance over the weekend.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecasted an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season for 2025.
Named Storms: 8 to 14
Hurricanes: 3 to 6
Major Hurricanes (Category 3 or higher): 1 to 3
Accumulate Cyclone Energy (ACE): 95% to 180% of the median
Primary Influencing Factor: Developing El Niño conditions expected to suppress Atlantic storm activity
This forecast indicates:
Despite the lower forecast, NOAA emphasizes that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to create a major disaster, and residents in hurricane-prone areas should still prepare as usual for the season.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30Key: Active Past Future
*Press/click the storm name to view additional detailsDespite fewer total storms than forecasted, the 2025 season produced several extremely intense hurricanes, including three Category 5 systems, making it one of the more powerful Atlantic seasons in recent history.
2020 - 30 named storms, 14 hurricanes
Hurricane Katrina (2005) - $125 billion
Harvey (2017) - $125 billion
Hurricane Patricia (2015) - 215 mph (345 km/h)
Hurricane Allen (1980) - 190 mph (305 km/h)
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a 1 to 5 rating system that classifies hurricanes based on their sustained wind speeds and the potential damage they can cause. It helps communicate the intensity of hurricanes and the likely impacts on structures and environments. The scale does not account for factors like storm surge or rainfall, focusing only on wind speeds.
Watching the Tropics was originally built as a personal storm tracker with only the most important charts for the Atlantic hurricane basin. Numerous sites are available for tracking hurricanes, but Watching the Tropics minimizes extra "noise" and shows only what you need.
Designed in Florida by
"Watching the tropics" refers to monitoring tropical weather systems, such as tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes, in regions close to the equator. Meteorologists and weather enthusiasts often use this phrase during hurricane season to indicate that they're keeping an eye on developing weather systems that could potentially strengthen and impact areas like the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Atlantic Ocean.
Websites, news outlets, or weather services also use "Tropics Watch" to keep the public informed about the latest developments in the tropics, especially during peak hurricane season.
An "invest" refers to an area of disturbed weather that meteorologists are investigating for potential tropical development. The term "invest" is short for "investigation area."
When an area is designated as an invest, it is given a number (between 90 and 99) followed by the letter "L" for systems in the North Atlantic or "E" for systems in the Eastern Pacific. For example, "Invest 91L" would refer to the 91st area of interest in the Atlantic basin for that season.
The designation of an invest allows meteorologists to focus their resources on a specific area, utilize specialized forecasting models, and issue updates as needed.
A tropical depression is a type of tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds of less than 39 mph (34 knots or 63 km/h).
Key characteristics:
It's the first stage of development in the tropical cyclone classification used by the National Hurricane Center, followed by tropical storm and then hurricane.
