The formation of Subtropical Storm Theta on Monday night pushed the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season into uncharted waters, with no other season in history having produced so many named storms.
2020 has now churned out 29 named storms, breaking the single-season record of 28 storms from the infamous 2005 season, which produced powerhouse hurricanes such as Katrina, Wilma and Rita.
Theta's formation also marked another impressive feat -- the latest in the calendar year that two storms were swirling simultaneously in the Atlantic basin since Nov. 10, 1932, according to Philip Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University. Eta continued to churn in the Gulf of Mexico following its landfall in Florida as Theta became classified as a subtropical storm on Monday night.
Theta formed around 1,000 miles southwest of the Azores and was producing maximum sustained winds of 50 mph as of 3 a.m. GMT Tuesday. The storm was moving to the east at 15 mph.
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The storm is forecast to become fully tropical over the next few days as it becomes separated from a non-tropical system in the upper levels of the atmosphere.
"Despite the technical change in classification, Theta is expected to largely maintain its current intensity over the next several days as it treks eastward across the open Atlantic," AccuWeather Meteorologist Jake Sojda said.
Late in the week and into the weekend, forecasters expect Theta to be drawn northward by a non-tropical system in the North Atlantic and eventually be absorbed by this system well west of the Iberian Peninsula.
"Theta is expected to pass in between the Azores and Canary Islands, with minimal impacts other than some increased surf. Theta may pass close enough to the Portuguese island of Madeira this weekend to bring some gusty winds and increased downpours, along with rough surf," Sojda said.
Shipping interests in the region should closely monitor the path of Theta due to the dangers of rough surf.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic basin, AccuWeather meteorologists are keeping a close eye on the central Caribbean Sea for additional tropical development.
"An east- to west-moving tropical wave will move into an area of low wind shear and warm water in the Caribbean this week," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Rinde said.
These two environmental factors are conducive for tropical development and then strengthening once a system has formed.
The next system to reach tropical storm strength (maximum sustained winds of 39-73 mph) in the Atlantic basin would be given the name Iota.
Hurricane season doesn't officially end until Nov. 30.
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