Tropical Storm Cristobal forms with future Dolly likely not far behind in warm waters of Atlantic
Tropical Storm Cristobal formed in the open waters of the Atlantic Wednesday morning about 1050 miles east-northeast of Bermuda, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Cristobal strengthened from Invest 93L and is moving farther into the Atlantic and poses no threat to land.
Tropical Storm Cristobal formed in the open waters of the Atlantic Wednesday morning about 1050 miles east-northeast of Bermuda, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Cristobal strengthened from Invest 93L and is moving farther into the Atlantic and poses no threat to land.
Meanwhile, Invest 92L is about a third of the way from Africa to the Caribbean and shows some signs of organization. The National Hurricane Center has the odds in the high range that it will develop into at least a tropical depression over the next two days and would be named Dolly.
WHAT IS AN INVEST DURING HURRICANE SEASON?
The term "invest" is used every hurricane season in the Atlantic and the Eastern and Central Pacific basins, accompanied by a number from 90 to 99 and either the suffix "L," "E" or "C," respectively.
This bevy of activity follows what has been a quiet start to the 2026 hurricane season, particularly across the Atlantic's Main Development Region (MDR) — the area between Africa and the Caribbean where many hurricanes begin to form.
Tropical Storm Cristobal will be short-lived due to a wall of hostile winds sitting just north of the storm. "It will be ripped apart today and is forecast to dissipate this evening," the FOX Forecast Center said.
LATEST FROM FOX WEATHER HURRICANE SPECIALIST BRYAN NORCROSS
Meanwhile, Invest 92L will track in the general direction of the northeast Caribbean for the next few days.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TROPICAL DEPRESSION, TROPICAL STORM AND A HURRICANE?
"The NHC's development zone is long because it's uncertain where and when the window of development opportunity might open," the FOX Forecast Center said.
To capitalize on that window, 92L must consolidate more moisture while overcoming dry Saharan dust along its path.
As it gets near the islands, hostile upper-level winds will become an issue. These negative factors should keep the system from becoming very strong.
INVEST 93C CHURNS IN THE PACIFIC AS STORM COULD BECOME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION BY WEDNESDAY
According to the FOX Forecast Center, "computer forecast models are divergent on whether the system can fight off the dust and upper winds long enough to strengthen much at all. In fact, the AI models don’t focus on the NHC’s system but instead give the one behind it a better chance to come together."
The system trailing Invest 92L is a wildcard that has captured the attention of the National Hurricane Center.
Highlighted as an area to watch, this tropical wave sits just offshore of West Africa, producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms.
Right now, it has a low potential of development over the next seven days, but the FOX Forecast Center notes that it's worth watching, with two scenarios at play.
The first scenario is that Invest 92L acts as a lead blocker. By taking the brunt of the hostile wind shear and Saharan dust, it could essentially clear a cleaner, more favorable path for the trailing wave to develop.
If this were to happen, there could be a shift in the development percentages for Invest 92L, but things are still very uncertain.
The other scenario, which seems more likely, is that Invest 92L forms into a depression or storm in the general vicinity of the northeastern Caribbean islands sometime around Sunday.
If the general atmospheric hostility wins out, and the system stays fairly weak, which looks most likely at the moment, chances favor it tracking into the northeast Caribbean and bringing beneficial rain to Puerto Rico and the surrounding islands.
However, if it finds a bubble of atmosphere conducive for development, a stronger system is more likely to turn north into the open Atlantic before it reaches the islands.
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