Tropical Storm Cristobal Forms in Atlantic as Caribbean System Monitored

Tropical Storm Cristobal formed in the Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday, marking the third named storm of the 2026 hurricane season, while forecasters are closely monitoring a more significant tropical wave that could become the next named storm, Dolly, and potentially affect the Caribbean. The National Hurricane Center upgraded a disturbance to Tropical Storm Cristobal at 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 12, 2026. The storm was located roughly 1,000 miles northeast of Bermuda, moving eastward at approximately 25 mph with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. Cristobal is forecast to have a brief lifespan, expected to weaken to a tropical depression by Thursday as it moves over cooler waters. It poses no direct threat to land, though forecasters noted a remote chance it could merge with a front and bring rain to parts of Ireland and the United Kingdom early next week.

The primary focus for meteorologists is a strong tropical wave located east of the Caribbean. The National Hurricane Center gave this system an 80 percent chance of developing into a tropical depression or storm within the next two to seven days. If it forms, it would be named Dolly. The wave is moving west-northwestward along...