Tropical depression seven forms in central Atlantic, forecast to become Tropical Storm Gabrielle

A new tropical depression is forecast to become the latest tropical storm in the coming days.

The system is expected to eventually become Tropical Storm Gabrielle in the next day or so and then form into a Category 1 hurricane this weekend.

Long-range models keep the system away from the US mainland.

The new tropical depression will break a record stretch where the 20 days from August 28 through September 16 didn’t have any tropical systems in the Atlantic which has never happened in the satellite era (since the 1960s).

This is typically the peak of hurricane season, but due to a difficult atmosphere over the warm ocean waters, nothing has been able to stick.