National Hurricane Center tracking 5 systems. Invest 90L could become Tropical Storm Fernand

The National Hurricane Center is tracking four tropical disturbances in the Atlantic, according to the 8 a.m. Friday, Aug. 22, advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

Invest 90L near the Leeward Islands is “very likely” to become a tropical depression or tropical storm over the weekend. If so, it would become Fernand.

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Hurricane Erin is moving quickly into the North Atlantic and is expected to become post-tropical later today.

However, large surf and life-threatening rip currents are expected to continue along the east coast today.

Elsewhere in the Atlantic, Invest 99L could become a short-lived tropical depression over the next day or so.

A third system is not expected to develop as it drifts north.

Here’s the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center as of 8 a.m. Friday, Aug. 22:

See projected path for Hurricane Erin

Special note on the NHC cone: The forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time. 

➤ Track Hurricane Erin

What tropical waves, disturbances are in Atlantic basin now?

• Invest 90L: Showers and thunderstorms are showing some signs of organization in association with a tropical wave located about a hundred miles east-northeast of the northern Leeward Islands. Environmental conditions appear conducive for further development of this system, and a tropical depression or tropical storm is very likely to form this weekend while it moves northwestward and then northward, in between the northern Leeward Islands and Bermuda.

  • Formation chance through 48 hours: high, 80 percent

  • Formation chance through 7 days: high, 80 percent

• Invest 99L: Showers and thunderstorms associated with a tropical wave located about midway between Africa and the Windward Islands have become less organized overnight. While there is still some chance that a short-lived tropical depression could form during the next day or so, the system is expected to move through a less conducive environment into Saturday. The wave could reach a slightly more favorable environment again late this weekend into early next week as it moves westward at 10 to 15 mph over the central tropical Atlantic and approaches the Lesser Antilles.

  • Formation chance through 48 hours: medium, 40 percent

  • Formation chance through 7 days: medium, 50 percent

• Area of low pressure: A small area of low pressure located well southwest of the Azores has weakened overnight, and no development is expected while it drifts northward.

  • Formation chance through 48 hours: near 0 percent.

  • Formation chance through 7 days: near 0 percent.

Spaghetti models for Invest 90L

Special note about spaghetti models: Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts. 

➤ Track Invest 90L

Spaghetti models for Invest 99L

Special note about spaghetti models: Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts. 

➤ Track Invest 99L

Is another hurricane heading toward Florida?

It’s still too early to tell whether Invest 90L or Invest 99L pose a threat to Florida or the U.S., but forecasters said a U.S. threat is unlikely.

“Unfavorable upper-level wind conditions are expected to kick up this week over the Atlantic’s Main Development Region, and the end of August and first week of September should be relatively quiet in the tropics,” said Dr. Ryan Truchelut on Aug. 13. Truchelut is the chief meteorologist at WeatherTiger, and works with the USA TODAY Network.

➤ Hurricane forecast: Erin brings thunderous surf, likely quiet spell till mid-September

AccuWeather forecasters, who are calling Invest 90L a tropical rainstorm, also said the system is not expected to bring direct impacts to the U.S. since it is forecast to curve north sooner than Erin did.

Mid-August through mid-October is the busiest portion of hurricane season, and officials regularly urge residents to always be prepared for storms.

What is an invest?

Short for investigation, the National Hurricane Center uses the term invest for areas of low pressure it is monitoring for potential development into a tropical depression or storm.

Invests are not tropical depressions or tropical storms. They’re usually clusters of showers and thunderstorms, and just because they’ve been designated as an invest does not guarantee they’ll strengthen into a tropical storm or hurricane.

Invests run from 90 to 99, followed by a letter: L for the Atlantic basin and E for those in the eastern Pacific. After 99, it starts over again, and the next invest would be 90.

Once something has been designated as an invest, specialized data sets and computer models can begin, including scheduling hurricane hunter aircraft missions and running spaghetti models.

What do the colored, hatched areas on the NOAA map mean?

The hatched areas on the National Hurricane Center’s tropical outlook map indicate “areas where a tropical cyclone — which could be a tropical depression, tropical storm or hurricane — could develop,” said National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Jamie Rhome.

The colors make it visibly clear how likely a system could develop, with yellow being low, orange medium and red high.

The National Hurricane Center generally doesn’t issue tropical advisories until there is a named storm, but there is an exception.

“If a system is near land and there is potential for development, the National Hurricane Center won’t wait before it issues advisories, even if the system hasn’t become an actual storm. This gives residents time to prepare,” Rhome said.

Florida weather radar for Aug. 22, 2025

Weather watches and warnings issued in Florida

When is the Atlantic hurricane season?

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.

Ninety-seven percent of tropical cyclone activity occurs during this time period, NOAA said.

The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of America, as the Gulf of Mexico is now known in the U.S. per an order from President Trump. NOAA and the National Hurricane Center are now using Gulf of America on its maps and in its advisories.

When is the peak of hurricane season?

The peak of the season is Sept. 10, with the most activity happening between mid-August and mid-October, according to the Hurricane Center.

Hurricane names for 2025 season

Here are the names for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, along with how to pronounce them.

• Andrea  (June 20)

• Barry  (June 29)

• Chantal (July 5)

• Dexter: (Aug. 3)

• Erin: (Aug. 11; hurricane Aug. 15; major hurricane Aug. 16)

• Fernand: fair-NAHN (sixth-named storm historically forms Aug. 29)

• Gabrielle: ga-bree-ELL

• Humberto: oom-BAIR-toh

• Imelda: ee-MEHL-dah

• Jerry: JEHR-ee

• Karen: KAIR-ren

• Lorenzo: loh-REN-zoh

• Melissa: meh-LIH-suh

• Nestor: NES-tor

• Olga: OAL-guh

• Pablo: PAHB-lo

• Rebekah: reh-BEH-kuh

• Sebastien: se-BAS-tee-en

• Tanya: TAHN-yuh

• Wendy: WEN-dee

National Hurricane Center map: See what forecasters are watching now

Systems currently being monitored by the National Hurricane Center include:

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This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: NOAA tracking Hurricane Erin, Invest 90L, 99L. Fernand next storm