An area of disorganized weather in the Atlantic was moving northward July 20, but the chances it will develop are low, as the National Hurricane Center tracks the Atlantic basin
Conditions aren’t expected to be favorable for the stormy area to develop into something more organized, forecasters said in their Tropical Weather Outlook.
There were two other tropical waves in the Caribbean being tracked by forecasters on July 20.
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The weather forecast for Florida on Sunday is shaping up much the same as it did Saturday. If you’re outdoors you need to protect yourself from the blazing heat. A difference is that the dangerous heat index forecast now extends farther west in the Florida Panhandle, all the way through Pensacola and beyond.
A heat advisory has been issued from the Florida Panhandle down through Central Florida. Central Florida is under an major heat risk. Heat indices are expected to climb to 110 degrees in many areas this weekend.
The next named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season will be Dexter.
Historically, the fourth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season arrives Aug. 15. The last two named storms of the season — Barry and Chantal — developed earlier than normal.
Here’s the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center as of 2 a.m. July 20:
A tropical wave located about 1,150 miles east-southeast of Barbados is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms.
Environmental conditions appear only marginally conducive for development during the next day or so as the system moves northwestward around 10 mph. By the middle of the week, environmental conditions are forecast to become unfavorable for further development.
Formation chance through 48 hours: Low, 10 percent
Formation chance through 7 days: Low, 10 percent
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 July 20, 2025
National Weather Service Florida forecast for July 20
Tallahassee, central Panhandle: Sunny and hot, with a high near 98. Heat index values as high as 107. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Jacksonville, North/Northeast Florida: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Sunny and hot, with a high near 97. Heat index values as high as 109. West wind 6 to 8 mph.
Daytona Beach to Stuart, East/Central Florida: A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5 p.m. Sunny, with a high near 94. Heat index values as high as 107. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.
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What else is happening in the tropics?
The National Hurricane Center is tracking a tropical disturbance and a tropical wave.
Tropical wave: A new far eastern Atlantic tropical wave was introduced 23W from 06 to 17N.
Tropical disturbance: A central Atlantic tropical wave is along 40W, from 05N to 17N, moving westward at 12 to 16 mph.
AccuWeather said there’s also a potential for tropical development off the central coast of the U.S. July 22-25.
2025 hurricane season so far
An average Atlantic hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.
Here’s when this year’s named storms have developed, compared to historical averages:
Tropical Storm Andrea: formed June 24. Average start date: June 20
Tropical Storm Barry: formed June 29. Average start date: July 17
Tropical Storm Chantal: formed July 5. Average start date: Aug. 3.
Next up, Dexter: Average state date: Aug. 15, with the average first hurricane forming Aug. 11.
Heat index alert: Weather watches and warnings issued in Florida
Hurricane names for 2025 season
Here are the names for the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, along with how to pronounce them:
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?
Hurricane season’s ultimate peak is Sept. 10 but the season goes through Nov. 30. Credit: NOAA
National Hurricane Center map: See what forecasters watching now
Systems currently being monitored by the National Hurricane Center include:
Why does NHC say ‘tropical cyclone’ on its maps instead of hurricane or tropical storm?
Tropical cyclone is the generic term used by the National Weather Service, NOAA and the National Hurricane Center for any tropical system, even if it’s in the tropical Atlantic basin.
To be more precise, a tropical cyclone is a “rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has closed, low-level circulation,” NOAA sadi.
Once maximum sustained winds reach 74 mph, what it is called is determined by where it originated:
Hurricane: for storms in the North Atlantic, central North Pacific, and eastern North Pacific.
Typhoon: for storms in the Northwest Pacific.
Cyclone: for storms in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.
Interactive map: Hurricanes, tropical storms that have passed near your city
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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Hurricane Center tracking disturbance in tropics: Heat index today