AsTropical Storm Dexter races out to seaaway from the United States, hurricane forecasters Aug. 4 were watching two other areas of potential concern in the Atlantic, which if they form, could be named Erin and Fernand. One, a tropical wave that's just recently moved off the coast of Africa, could develop into a named storm in the central Atlantic by later in the week, some forecast models show. The second is a developing area of low pressure much closer to home, off the Southeast U.S. coast ‒ a system that promises a dreary week of weather for hordes of beachgoers. "We are now moving into a more active period (of the) Atlantic hurricane season," saidWeather Trader meteorologist Ryan Mauein an Aug. 4 email to USA TODAY. "Dexter is already exiting stage right, moving east northeast around 10 to 15 mph," saidHouston-based meteorologist Matt Lanzain an Aug. 4 newsletter post. "By the end of the week, Dexter should be post-tropical. Eventually, this will probably end up in the British Isles, either as part of another typical European storm or as a passing disturbance. Either way, it's mostly just a curiosity than anything else." WPLG-TV hurricane specialist Michael Lowry, in an email to USA TODAY, said that "Dexter, while posing no threat to land, is the opening act for the show the Atlantic's threatening to put on behind it." Exiting the coast of Africa late on Aug. 3 was a robust tropical wave that models suggest has a good chance of becoming a named storm (likely Erin) and possibly our first hurricane by Aug. 9 to 11 over the central Atlantic, Lowry said. "In a few days, environmental conditions are forecast to become favorable for gradual development of this system, and a tropical depression could form by the latter portion of this week as it moves generally west-northwestward across the central tropical Atlantic," theNational Hurricane Centersaid. Beyond Aug. 11, forecast models diverge, with the Euro curling the system out to sea and the American GFS continuing a track west-northwestward toward the U.S. East Coast, Lowry reported. "We won't have much confidence in a forecast for this one till we see if something actually develops and where," said University of Miami meteorologist Andy Hazelton in apost on X. More:A key sign of hurricane activity has flipped into high gear TheNational Hurricane Centerhas also highlighted an area of concern off the Southeast U.S. coast. The hurricane center has given the system a 30% chance of development, and models support "something" weak developing and then moving westward, which equals more rainfall for drenched Georgia, Florida, and Carolinas, but the upper-level environment (for full tropical development) is hostile, said Maue. Later in the first week of August, we're probably going to see a weak area of low pressure develop along a remnant stationary front off the Southeast U.S. coast, Lanza said. "Unlike Dexter, this won't get whisked out to sea. Rather, it looks likely to just kind of sit and spin for a bit." If it gets a name, which seems unlikely at this point, it might be Fernand, depending on when Erin gets named. Regardless of whether it gets a name, "this may make for a somewhat dreary week along the Carolina coast," Lanza said. "Rain totals may begin to add up some in this area as well through the week." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:After Tropical Storm Dexter, could 'Erin' and 'Fernand' be next?
