While some parts of Florida are braced to get more rounds of heavy rain Aug. 3, the tropicsremain quiet.
That doesn't mean forecasters aren't keeping an eye on a few areas near Florida with potential— although unlikely — for development the first couple weeks of August.
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Tropical activity in the Atlantic basin historically picks up in August, with the busiest period of the season running from mid-August through mid-October.
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Several Florida counties are under flood watches and advisories Aug. 3, with up to 6 inches of rain possible in some isolated
areas, according to the National Weather Service Tallahassee.
That's on top of the 5 to 9 inches some areas received over the weekend.
Here's the latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center as of 8 a.m., Aug. 3.
Could we see tropical storm in early August near Florida?
The third named storm in the Atlantic typically forms around Aug. 3, according to NOAA.
The next named storm in the Atlantic basin will be Cristobal.
AccuWeather meteorologists said there are a couple areas to watch for potential tropical activity in the Atlantic basin during the first part of August, and both are close to Florida and the United States: in the eastern Gulf and along the Southeast coast.
"A zone of waters surrounding Florida, the Carolinas, Cuba, the Bahamas and Bermuda remains in the spotlight that has perhaps the best chance of cooking up a tropical depression or tropical rainstorm later in the first week through the second week of August," according to AccuWeather.
No tropical activity is anticipated through the first few days of August, with dry air and wind shear helping prevent anything from developing in the Atlantic basin.
National Hurricane Center tracking 3 tropical waves
There are no disturbances listed by the National Hurricane Center on its tropical outlook map as of 8 a.m. Aug. 3, and no tropical cyclone activity is expected over the next seven days.
There are three tropical waves out there:
- An eastern Atlantic tropical wave is along 33W, south of 20N, moving westward at around 11 mph.
- An eastern Caribbean tropical wave is along 67W, from Puerto Rico southward, moving westward at around 17 mph.
- A western Caribbean tropical wave is along 86W, southward from the Gulf of Honduras into Central America, moving westward at around 17 mph.
What is a tropical wave?
"Tropical waves are clusters of showers and thunderstorms that act as the seedlings for many tropical storms throughout the Atlantic season," said Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather lead hurricane expert, via email.
“There are about 60 tropical waves that move across the Atlantic each year, and roughly 10 percent to 15 percent of them develop into a tropical system. That’s about one in seven.
"Tropical waves are important because they contribute to about 80 percent of all major hurricanes."
Florida weather radar for Aug. 3, 2026
Some locations in northern Florida received 5 to 9 inches of rain over the weekend, according to the National Weather Service Tallahassee.
"The flood threat shifts to the Big Bend (Aug. 3) with another 1 to 3 inches of rain is expected." Some isolated areas could see 4 to 6 inches of rain Aug. 3.
"This should be the last day for heavy rain with typical summer conditions returning mid week."
There's also a slight risk for heavy rain and flooding across much of the Nature Coast Aug. 3, according to the National Weather Service Tampa Bay, which warned morning commuters on X about 8:30 a.m. that heavy rain was falling across the area.
Weather watches and warnings issued in Florida
Flood watches and flood advisories have been issued across the central Panhandle and Big Bend region for Aug. 3.
What is a flood watch?
A flood watch is issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for a specific hazardous weather event to occur.
A flood watch is issued when conditions are favorable for flooding. It does not mean flooding will occur, but it is possible.
What is a flood advisory?
A flood advisory is issued when a specific weather event that is forecast to occur may become a nuisance.
A flood advisory is issued when flooding is not expected to be bad enough to issue a warning. However, it may cause significant inconvenience, and, if caution is not exercised, it could lead to situations that may threaten life and/or property.
When is hurricane season in Florida?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
Ninety-seven percent of tropical cyclone activity occurs during this time period, NOAA said.
➤ Hurricane Center testing new cone: What's changing this season?
The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of America, as the Gulf of Mexico is now known in the U.S. per an order from President Trump. NOAA and the National Hurricane Center are now using Gulf of America on its maps and in its advisories.
Countdown clock to end of 2026 Atlantic hurricane season
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.
What are names for 2026 Atlantic hurricane season?
Here are the names for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season and how to pronounce them:
Arthur: Tropical Storm Arthur formed June 17, 2026Bertha: Tropical Storm Bertha formed July 20, 2026- Cristobal, krees-TOH-bahl
- Dolly, DAH-lee
- Edouard, eh-DWARD
- Fay, fay
- Gonzalo, gohn-SAH-loh
- Hanna, HAN-uh
- Isaias, ees-ah-EE-ahs
- Josephine, JOH-seh-feen
- Kyle, KY-ull
- Leah, LEE-ah
- Marco, MAR-koe
- Nana, NA-na
- Omar, OH-mar
- Paulette, pawl-LET
- Rene, re-NAY
- Sally, SAL-ee
- Teddy, TEHD-ee
- Vicky, VIH-kee
- Wilfred, WILL-fred
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What's next?
We will continue to update our tropical weather coverage to bring you the most current information you need to protect your home and family.
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida’s best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://palmbeachpost.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: What is the National Hurricane Center in Florida tracking today?
