MIAMI — Forecasters said Tropical Storm Peter formed over the Atlantic Ocean early today and a new tropical depression was spinning over the far eastern Atlantic.
Peter was centered about 630 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands, the National Hurricane Center said in a 5 a.m. EDT advisory.
The tropical storm was expected to bring rain to the region, including the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico through Tuesday. Forecasters expected 1 to 2 inches of rainfall through Tuesday.
Top winds were around 40 mph and Peter was moving northwest at 15 mph. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect.
Only two other Atlantic hurricane seasons have had 16 named storms by September 19 since the satellite era began in 1966. Those were the 2005 and 2020 seasons, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.
Meanwhile, tropical depression Seventeen also formed today. Forecasters said it was over the far eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean, about 330 miles southwest of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands.
The tropical depression had maximum sustained winds around 35 mph. The system was expected to become a tropical storm later Sunday or on Monday, however there were no immediate threats to land, forecasters said.
The U.S. Coast Guard set the port condition of the two American Caribbean territories at Whiskey on Saturday, meaning that gale force winds are expected within 72 hours.
The NHC is issuing advisories on recently upgraded Tropical Storm Peter, located several hundred miles east of the northernmost Leeward Islands, and on newly formed Tropical Depression Seventeen, located a few hundred miles southwest of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands.
1. A tropical wave is forecast to emerge off the west coast of Africa later today or tonight. Environmental conditions appear conducive for gradual development thereafter as the system moves generally westward at about 10 mph over the eastern tropical Atlantic during the next several days. * Formation chance through 48 hours…low…near 0 percent. * Formation chance through 5 days…low…20 percent.
Public Advisories on Tropical Storm Peter are issued under WMO header WTNT31 KNHC and under AWIPS header MIATCPAT1.
Forecast/Advisories on Tropical Storm Peter are issued under WMO header WTNT21 KNHC and under AWIPS header MIATCMAT1. Public Advisories on Tropical Depression Seventeen are issued under WMO header WTNT32 KNHC and under AWIPS header MIATCPAT2. Forecast/Advisories on Tropical Depression Seventeen are issued under WMO header WTNT22 KNHC and under AWIPS header MIATCMAT2.
