Hurricane center continues to track system off US East Coast

Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel on Oct 20, 2026

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ORLANDO, Fla. — The National Hurricane Center continued Tuesday to keep an eye on a system off the U.S. East Coast with the potential to develop into a more dangerous storm.

As of the NHC’s 8 a.m. tropical outlook, a storm-force, nontropical area of low pressure, which had formed Sunday night, was located a few hundred miles off the North Carolina coast with some shower and thunderstorm activity, mostly west of its center.

“However, overnight satellite wind data indicated the low was still attached to an occluded front. Over the next couple of days, the low could develop some organized deep convection and gradually lose its frontal features while it moves slowly north-northeastward over the Gulf Stream, allowing the system to briefly develop subtropical characteristics.” forecasters said.

The system could then move northeast away from the eastern U.S. later in the week.

“Environmental conditions are expected to become unfavorable for additional subtropical or tropical development,” forecasters said.

Its proximity to the coast, though, means high winds, dangerous surf and coastal flooding are possible over the next few days along portions of the U.S. East Coast.

The NHC gave it a 40% chance to develop in the next seven days.

So far the 2026 hurricane season has produced nine named storms: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna and Isaias.

The next name on the list is Josephine.

Only Isaias has reached hurricane strength during what has been a very slow Atlantic season amid effects from a strong global El Niño weather pattern. Isaias made landfall on Oct. 9 near Destin on Florida’s Panhandle as a Category 2 hurricane.

Hurricane season began June 1 and runs through Nov. 30, but the height of hurricane season runs from mid-August through mid-October.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in August had updated its seasonal forecast to expect between seven and 13 named storms this year. Of those, two to six would become hurricanes.

An average year would see 14 named storms and seven hurricanes, with three of those growing to Category 3 strength or higher.

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