Tropical Depression Forms Over Central Atlantic

The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) reports that Tropical Depression Seven has formed over the central Atlantic.

As of Wednesday afternoon, it was located about 1,185 miles (1,905 km) east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands.

The depression is moving west at 13 mph (20 km/h) with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (55 km/h) and a minimum central pressure of 1007 mb. Slow strengthening is expected, and the system could become Tropical Storm Gabrielle later today or tonight.

No coastal watches or warnings are in effect. The NHC expects the system to track west-northwest to northwest across the tropical and subtropical central Atlantic over the next few days.

Long-range weather models suggest it could follow a path similar to Hurricane Erin, which curved toward Iceland in 2023, though there is significant uncertainty about its track.

The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season has been quieter than expected. Seasonal forecasts predicted 13–19 named storms, six to ten hurricanes, and three to five major hurricanes. As of mid-September, only six named storms have formed, with Hurricane Erin the only system reaching hurricane strength. Dry air from the Sahara, wind shear, and relatively stable atmospheric conditions have limited storm development so far.

Meteorologists expect activity to increase in the coming weeks as patterns such as the Madden-Julian Oscillation and a developing Central American Gyre could enhance storm formation, potentially shifting activity toward the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.