Topline
The National Hurricane Center is monitoring two disturbances in the Atlantic that could ultimately become hurricanes, one currently just a few hundred miles off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina.
The closest to shore, currently known as "Disturbance 2," is forecast to develop into a low pressure system in the next few days and could build later this week as it drifts toward South Carolina.
The National Hurricane Center says there is a 30% chance it will develop into a tropical depression in the next week.
A second possible depression, "Disturbance 1," is currently moving northwestward toward the U.S. across the central Atlantic from the west coast of Africa and has a 50% chance of developing in the next 7 days.
Tropical depressions turn into tropical storms when their winds reach 39 miles per hour and tropical storms start to be classified as hurricanes, or tropical cyclones, when their maximum sustained winds reach 74 miles per hour.
The NHC is also continuing to watch Tropical Storm Dexter, which formed overnight east of North Carolina, but the storm is moving away from the U.S. and isn't expected to impact the coast.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here: joinsubtext.com/forbes.
The Atlantic storm season lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30 and usually peaks in August, September and October. The season is off to a slow start so far, with only four named storms, but the National Weather Service has predicted an above-normal season for this year thanks to warm ocean temperatures. NOAA estimates there will be between 13 and 19 named storms this year, with six to 10 developing into hurricanes. So far, systems named Andrea, Barry, Chantal and Dexter have been strong enough to be classified as tropical storms. Andrea and Dexter did not make landfall. Tropical Storm Barry caused flooding in southeastern Mexico and its remnants played a role in devastating floods that hit Central Texas in July, killing more than 130 people. Chantal led to severe flooding in North Carolina, causing dams to fail and culverts to crumble. Two deaths in North Carolina were blamed on the flooding.
Much of the northeast and some of the midwest is under air quality alerts Monday as smoke from hundreds of wildfires in Canada drifts across the border. Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island are under alert, as are northern Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Canada is experiencing its second worst wildfire season on record, NPR reported, with more than 700 active fires burning on Sunday and more than 500 burning out of control.