NHC tracking 2 tropical storms. Franklin could become hurricane. See spaghetti models

After a quiet July and the first half of August, the tropics heated up rapidly over the weekend with the formation of three tropical storms.

Tropical Storm Emily was the first to strengthen, developing in the Central Atlantic Sunday. By 11 a.m. Monday, Emily had already weakened to a remnant low, according to the National Hurricane Center.

➤ Track all active storms

➤ Excessive rainfall forecast

Hours after Tropical Storm Emily formed, Tropical Storm Franklin developed in the eastern Caribbean. Franklin is expected to strengthen and could become a hurricane within four days.

Early Monday morning, Tropical Storm Gert became the eighth named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, forming east of the Leeward Islands. Like Emily, Gert is expected to be short-lived and could become a remnant low later today and dissipate Tuesday.

Seven other years on record have had eight or more named storms by Aug. 21: 1936, 2005, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2020 and 2021, according to Philip Klotzbach, Colorado State University meteorologist specializing in hurricane forecasts.

The next named storms of the Atlantic hurricane season will be Harold, Idalia and Jose.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine is expected to become a tropical storm before it reaches the Texas coast Tuesday. Tropical storm watches and warnings have been issued for portions of South Texas.

Invest 92L in the eastern Atlantic also is expected to strengthen and is likely to become a tropical depression later this week.

Colorado State University forecasters are predicting above-normal hurricane activity over the next two weeks, according to their latest two-week forecast issued Aug. 17.

Tropical Storm Hilary: Latest updates as Hilary drenches Southern California prompting floods, rescues across region

The last half of August "typically marks the real ramp-up for Atlantic TC (tropical cyclone) activity. The primary threat formation area for major hurricanes in late August is in the eastern and central tropical Atlantic," CSU said.

Is Florida getting a hurricane?

While Tropical Storm Franklin is expected to strengthen into a hurricane sometime during the week, the system "poses no threat to Florida over the next five to seven days, at least," according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

"Franklin's forecast track is somewhat problematic," according to the Hurricane Center.

Although it's currently moving toward the west in the Caribbean, it's expected to turn northward in 24 hours or so. After moving into the Atlantic, Franklin should turn toward the northeast but conditions later in the week could allow the storm to start moving west.

Costly natural disasters: Florida ranks high on these lists of most affected by natural disasters, climate change

"There is more than the usual amount of uncertainty in the three-to-five day track prediction, with lots of spread in the model guidance," Hurricance Center forecasters said.

While conditions in the tropics do look quite busy, "no direct effects are expected at the moment from the systems out there," said John Pendergrast, meteorologist with the National Weather Service Melbourne.

Swells along the east central Florida coast are possible as the week progresses, Pendergrast added.

"Tropical Storm Franklin doesn't look to have much impact to South Florida or Florida in general, although it may bring an enhanced risk for rip currents," said Robert Garcia, senior meteorologist with the National Weather Service, Miami.

"Franklin's impact depends on the movement it takes and how strong it is. The Bahamas will disrupt some of its energy. If it survives north of the islands into the open Atlantic, there is some potential for more swells" along beaches. "It's too early to tell yet."

"We're heading into the peak of the season," Garcia said. "Be prepared and watch the forecasts."

Here's the latest update from the NHC as of 2 p.m.:

Post-Tropical Cyclone Emily becomes remnant low

• Location: 1,225 west-northwest of Cabo Verde Islands

• Maximum wind speed: 35 mph

• Direction: west-northwest at 9 mph

➤ Spaghetti models for Post-Tropical Cyclone Emily

At 11 a.m., the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Emily was located 1,225 miles west-northwest of Cabo Verde Islands. Exact location: near latitude 21.1 North, longitude 41.9 West.

The post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the west-northwest near 9 mph, and this general motion is forecast to continue today. Emily could turn more toward the north-northwest or north by mid-week.

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph with higher gusts. Slow weakening is expected during the next couple of days.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1006 mb.

No impact to land is expected.

No further public advisories will be released on Emily.

Tropical Storm Franklin expected to become hurricane

• Location: 275 miles south of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; 1,060 miles southeast of West Palm Beach.

• Maximum wind speed: 50 mph

• Direction: west at 4 mph

➤ Spaghetti models for Tropical Storm Franklin

At 2 p.m., the center of Tropical Storm Franklin was located 275 miles south of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Exact location: near latitude 14.5 North, longitude 70.1 West.

Franklin is moving toward the west near 4 mph, and a slow westward motion is expected through this afternoon. A sharp turn to the north is expected tonight or early Tuesday, and a generallynorthward motion is expected later on Tuesday. On the forecast track, the center of Franklin is forecast to reach the southern coast of Hispaniola by Tuesday night.

Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph, with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast before Franklin reaches Hispaniola. Franklin could be a Category 1 storm in four days, with winds reaching 75 mph. By day 5, current forecasts call for maximum sustained winds to reach 85 mph.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 999 mb.

Heavy rainfall from Franklin is expected across portions of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola through the middle of the week. The heavy rainfall may produce areas of flash and urban flooding as well as river rises and mudslides. Across Hispaniola, significant and potentially life-threatening flash flooding is possible Tuesday into Wednesday.

Franklin is expected to bring tropical storm conditions to portions of the Dominican Republic and Haiti beginning on Tuesday.

Tropical storm warnings and watches have been issued for the Dominican Republic and Haiti. A tropical storm watch also has been issued for the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Tropical Storm Gert forecast to quickly weaken

• Location: 455 miles east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands

• Maximum wind speed: 40 mph

• Direction: west at 9 mph

➤ Spaghetti models for Tropical Storm Gert

At 5 a.m., the center of Tropical Storm Gert was located 455 miles east-southeast of the Leeward Islands. Exact location: near latitude 16.7 North, longitude 56.4 West.

Gert is moving toward the west near 9 mph, and a gradual turn toward the west-northwest is forecast by tonight.

Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph, with higher gusts. Gert is expected to become a remnant low later today and dissipate on Tuesday.

Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1006 mb.

No impact to land is expected.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine heading toward Texas, Mexico

• Location: 480 miles east-southeast of Port Mansfield, Texas; 548 miles west of Sarasota.

• Maximum wind speed: 35 mph

• Direction: west at 16 mph

➤ Spaghetti models for Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine

At 2 p.m., Potential Tropical Cylone Nine was centered 480 miles east-southeast of Port Mansfield, Texas. Exact location: near latitude 25.0 North, longitude 91.0 West.

The system is moving toward the west near 16 mph. A fast motion to the west is expected to continue, and the system is forecast to move inland over south Texas early Tuesday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph, with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast, and the system is expected to become a tropical storm before it reaches the Texas coast.

Satellite images indicate that the system continues to become better organized and it is expected to become a tropical depression later today.

• Formation chance through 48 hours: high, 90 percent.

• Formation chance through 7 days: high, 90 percent.

Tropical storm conditions are expected in the warning area and are possible in the watch area by Tuesday morning.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine is expected to bring 3 to 5 inches of rain across southern Texas, with some areas receiving 7 inches.

The combination of a storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland

What else is out there and where are they?

Invest 92L: Showers and thunderstorms over portions of the tropical eastern Atlantic are associated with a tropical wave.

How likely are they to strengthen?

Invest 92L: Environmental conditions appear generally conducive for gradual development ofthis system, and a tropical depression is likely to form later this week while it moves west-northwestward across the eastern tropical Atlantic.

➤ Spaghetti models for Invest 92L

• Formation chance through 48 hours: medium, 40 percent.

• Formation chance through 7 days: high, 70 percent.

Spaghetti models for Tropical Storm Franklin

Spaghetti models for Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine

Spaghetti models for Tropical Storm Gert

Spaghetti models for Post-Tropical Cyclone Emily

Who is likely to be impacted?

Tropical Storm Franklin: "This feature will bring an increase in rainfall across Puerto Rico and Hispaniola this week as it makes a more northward turn and eventually moving into the southwestern Atlantic," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski.

In the long term, Franklin could take a northwestward turn toward Bermuda and later toward Atlantic Canada. Regardless, Franklin could remain an active tropical system for many days, if it survives its passage over the mountains in the Greater Antilles, according to AccuWeather.

It's too early at this time to determine if there will be any impact to the U.S. from the tropical waves.

Forecasters urge all residents to continue monitoring the tropics and to always be prepared.

Post-Tropical Cyclone Nine: After bringing showers and thunderstorms to Florida as it moved into the Gulf of Mexico, this tropical wave is forecast to move westward across the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and stands a high chance of developing into a short-lived tropical rainstorm as it tracks westward toward Texas and northeast Mexico, according to AccuWeather.

"This feature will not have much time to develop before it likely moves into South Texas, although it will be moving across very warm water which can aid in rapid development," said Pydynowski.

Regardless of if this feature organizes into a tropical depression, an influx of tropical moisture will still spread inland across areas of South Texas and far northeastern Mexico from Monday night to early Wednesday as a tropical rainstorm.

Weather watches and warnings issued in Florida

When is the Atlantic hurricane season?

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.

When is the peak of hurricane season?

The peak of the season is Sept. 10, with the most activity happening between mid-August and mid-October, according to the Hurricane Center.

Tropical forecast over the next seven days

Excessive rainfall forecast

What's out there?

Systems currently being monitored by the National Hurricane Center.

What's next?

We will continue to update our tropical weather coverage daily. Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look at our special subscription offers here.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: NHC tracking Tropical Storms Franklin, Gert. See forecast paths