Meteorologists predict this tropical wave might turn into Tropical Storm Gabrielle
Tuesday 12:20 p.m. update: Behind AL92 is another tropical wave in the eastern Atlantic.
A tropical wave known as AL92 is making its way across the Atlantic Ocean has a high chance of developing into a tropical depression or storm within the next week.
The tropical wave stretching across the Atlantic currently only consists of disorganized showers and thunderstorms. As it moves across the ocean, it has a 90% chance of cyclone formation over the next seven days, according to the National Hurricane Center.
According to Frank Strait, severe weather liaison with the South Carolina State Climate Office, said last week that it’s too early to tell what the impacts of this system will be on the state’s coast.
On Tuesday, another tropical wave formed in the eastern Atlantic, just off the coast of Africa, according to the National Hurricane Center. It has a 20% chance of cyclone formation in the next seven days.
The development comes as the Atlantic hurricane season has gotten off to a remarkably slow start. While hurricane season runs from June through October, the season is at its busiest between mid-August and mid-October, reaching a peak on Sept. 10, according to NOAA.
According to a newsletter from hurricane expert Michael Lowry, recorded hurricane activity at this point is at its lowest since 2014. Hurricane Erin, a category 5 storm, is the only hurricane so far this season. The last time there was only one hurricane by Sept. 15 was 2002.
The next named storm will be Gabrielle. Meteorologists thought a tropical wave dubbed Invest 91L, would develop into at least a topical depression in the first two weeks of September. At its peak, there was a 90% chance of cyclone formation before the system unexpectedly fizzled due to a blast of dry air from Europe and dust from the Saharan desert.
According to Lowry, the middle of the 2024 hurricane season was also slower than expected. It was quickly followed by the one-two punch of Hurricane Helen, which downed trees and left tens of thousands of people without power in Beaufort County, and Hurricane Milton.
This story was originally published September 15, 2025 at 2:08 PM.
