Tropical Depression 8 forms, threatens to approach North Carolina early this week

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

August 28,2016; 9:35PM,EDT

 

 

Tropical Depression 8 has formed east of the Carolinas and should strengthen into a tropical storm before impacting the coastal Carolinas early this week.
The area of low pressure spinning in between Bermuda and the Carolinas of the United States has developed into Tropical Depression 8.
The environment is moderately conducive for development and strengthening. However, shower and thunderstorm activity increased and a depression formed on Sunday morning.

Further strengthening is likely as the depression tracks toward North Carolina early this week. The next tropical storm in the Atlantic Basin will acquire the name "Hermine."
Stronger disruptive winds in the atmosphere, known as wind shear, will close the window for additional strengthening as the depression makes its closest approach to the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Tuesday.
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Showers, thunderstorms and surf will increase across coastal North Carolina and neighboring parts of South Carolina on Monday and Tuesday.
The heaviest showers and thunderstorms will produce downpours, further spoiling vacation plans and potentially triggering isolated flash flooding.
This is a closeup live loop of Tropical Depression 8. (NOAA/Satellite)
Downpours will be most numerous across the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where there can also be wind gusts to 40 mph on Monday night and Tuesday. Such winds could easily toss around loose beach and lawn items and cause very sporadic power outages.
Swimmers who brave the wet weather will be at risk for dangerous rip currents.
Surf will also build at the beaches of the mid-Atlantic Tuesday into Wednesday.
A cold front will then likely steer the depression back into the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean at midweek.

As the depression tracks toward North Carolina, Tropical Depression 9 will move into the Gulf of Mexico this week and eventually impact the Gulf Coast.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic, Gaston remains a hurricane but will stay east of Bermuda early this week.
Gaston became a major hurricane on Sunday afternoon, intensifying into a category 3 hurricane.
In addition, another strong tropical disturbance will move westward from Africa in the final days of August and will likely develop later in the week or during Labor Day weekend.
This disturbance may not follow in the footsteps of Gaston but instead will have to be closely monitored as it could survive the journey toward the Caribbean Islands or into the southwestern Atlantic Ocean during the first full week of September.