Nigel becomes Atlantic’s 6th hurricane in this year, may strengthen to major system overnight: NHC

Hurricane Nigel is poised to strengthen over the next day before potentially becoming a major Category-3 system early Tuesday morning, the National Hurricane Center said.

The 15th named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, Nigel would be the fourth system to reach major hurricane status this year, with winds of at least 111 mph.

Unlike Hurricane Lee, which hugged close to the East Coast as it churned up deadly waves and lashed out heavy wind and rain to parts of the Northeast, Nigel will remain far out to sea as it gains power, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm is forecast to retain major hurricane strength through early Wednesday morning before weakening just below that threshold later this week, the National Hurricane Center said. The agency’s long-range prediction has the storm swooping towards the British Isles this weekend.

Federal forecasters in early August raised their predictions of the number of named storms and hurricanes expected to develop in the Atlantic Ocean, citing record-warm ocean temperatures that are providing fuel for systems to strengthen.

Typically, 14 named storms form in the Atlantic Ocean annually, according to long-term averages.

The increase in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) projections mirror changes made by other lead forecasting groups, including AccuWeather and Colorado State University.

Hurricane season, which is currently around its peak, officially ends on Nov. 30.