National hurricane center News

Tropical Storm Arthur formed off the coast of Florida on Saturday, making it the sixth straight year for a named storm to develop before the official June 1 start of the Atlantic hurricane season.

The National Hurricane Center on Wednesday was tracking five tropical systems in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, with Tropical Storm Jerry becoming the 10th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued this afternoon as Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven (PTC-7) is forecast to be a tropical depression by Monday morning and a tropical storm by Labor Day evening.

Concerns are growing that the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season may start early with the formation of Tropical Storm Alberto this Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Ocracoke - Hurricane Arthur kicked off the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season along the United States’ eastern seaboard, Thursday night, making landfall as far north as North Carolina.

New Orleans - Tropical storm warnings have been issued from Alabama to Lousiana, including the New Orleans area, with heavy flooding expected from Tropical Storm Lee. Lee is predicted to dump up to 20 inches of rain over the region throughout the Labor Day weekend.

New York - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has ordered the mandatory evacuation of almost 300,000 residents as the city prepares for the arrival of Hurricane Irene, which is expected to impact the city beginning Saturday evening.

Nags Head - The window of opportunity to leave coastal areas ahead of Hurricane Irene is closing as the massive storm edges closer to the eastern seaboard on a collision course with North Carolina. Irene is expected to continue her destructive path north to Canada.

Richmond - Seven states have declared a state of emergency in preparation for Hurricane Irene, which is expected to affect the eastern seaboard beginning Friday night. In Norfolk, Virginia the Navy has moved the Second Fleet out to sea ahead of the massive storm.

The Bahamas continues to be pounded by winds of 115 mph from Hurricane Irene as the Category 3 storm makes her way across the islands this morning, while in the U.S. FEMA prepares for a major threat to the eastern seaboard.

Residents on the Atlantic coast are stocking up on supplies in anticipation of Hurricane Irene's arrival, while in the Bahamas authorities are preparing for the massive storm to strike.

Miami - The National Hurricane Center has issues a tropical storm advisory for newly-formed Tropical Storm Richard, located in the Caribbean Sea, which could strengthen and develop into a hurricane by Saturday.