The hyperactive Atlantic hurricane basin has spit out two more tropical cyclones on Friday, with all 21 storm names on the list now exhausted — forcing the National Hurricane Center to take the rare step of turning to the Greek alphabet to name new storms.
Earlier on Friday, a tropical depression in the eastern Atlantic Ocean strengthened into Tropical Storm Wilfred, which was the last of the 21 storm names reserved for 2020. Just hours later, a subtropical storm developed in the far northeastern Atlantic, so that system was named Alpha.
This marks only the second time since the 1950s that the Greek alphabet had to be used because the traditional list of Atlantic storm names was exhausted. The last time this occurred was in 2005, when all 21 English names were used and six more storms developed, each getting names from the Greek alphabet.
Subtropical Storm Alpha, which has both tropical and non-tropical characteristics, is packing top winds of 50 mph and is taking aim at Portugal.
Tropical Storm Wilfred has maximum sustained winds near 40 mph, making it a minimal tropical storm. “Some slight strengthening is possible today, and weakening should start this weekend and continue into next week,” the National Hurricane Center said in a public advisory Friday afternoon.
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season has been so active that all 21 names on the list of storm names have now been used.National Hurricane Center
Meanwhile, Hurricane Teddy — by far, the strongest storm churning in the Atlantic hurricane basin right now — is a Category 4 storm, with top sustained winds of 130 mph. Teddy is expected to drift towards Bermuda late Sunday or early Monday, remaining as a hurricane but likely weakening, forecasters said.
Large ocean swells generated by Hurricane Teddy “should spread westward to the Greater Antilles, the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the East Coast of the United States by the weekend,” the hurricane center said. “These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.”
Forecasters are also monitoring a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico — and there’s a good chance that system will strengthen into a tropical storm later Friday and could reach hurricane strength, or close to it, by Sunday.
UPDATE (5 p.m. Friday): The tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico has now become a tropical storm. Its name is Beta.
All 21 names on the list of Atlantic storm names for 2020 have already been used. So now the National Hurricane Center is using names from the Greek alphabet.National Weather Service
Latest forecast track of Atlantic storms
This is the forecast track of Hurricane Teddy, the strongest storm system currently churning in the hyperactive Atlantic hurricane basin as of Friday, Sept. 18.National Hurricane Center
This the forecast track of Tropical Storm Wilfred, which formed in the eastern Atlantic on Friday, Sept. 18. Wilfred is the final name on the National Hurricane Center's official list of Atlantic storm names for 2020.National Hurricane Center
This is the forecast track of Subtropical Storm Alpha, which is heading towards Portugal.National Hurricane Center
This is the forecast track of Tropical Depression 22, which forecasters are expecting to strengthen into a tropical storm on Friday, Sept. 18.National Hurricane Center
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Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com.
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