A new low‑pressure system off the East Coast could earn the name Kyle if it organizes quickly, officials say.
Key points
- Kyle has a limited time to develop before unfavorable conditions likely halt its intensification.
- The system is expected to stay far from the U.S. but could generate higher surf and rain for Bermuda.
- Subtropical storms, while hybrid, can still deliver heavy rain, strong winds, and storm surge.
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is monitoring a broad area of low pressure that could evolve into Subtropical Storm Kyle later this week, marking the first named system in the Atlantic since Subtropical Storm Josephine in October, according to weather.com.
The disturbance is forming along a weakening frontal boundary several hundred miles east of the Bahamas and off the U.S. East Coast. Meteorologists say that if thunderstorms consolidate near the center, the system could transition into a subtropical storm, a hybrid of tropical and extratropical characteristics.
Narrow development window
The NHC notes that the storm’s window is tight: it must organize by the weekend or face increasingly unfavorable atmospheric conditions that would likely prevent it from receiving a name by early next week.
While the system is expected to remain well offshore and pose no direct threat to the United States, forecasters caution that Bermuda could see higher surf, breaking waves, and a modest increase in winds and rain showers as Kyle drifts eastward or northeastward into the open Atlantic.
Possible effects on Bermuda
A subtropical storm, as explained by the NHC, mixes features of a tropical cyclone with those of a mid‑latitude low‑pressure system attached to cold and warm fronts. Despite the hybrid nature, such storms can still produce heavy rain, gusty winds, and storm surge comparable to fully tropical systems.
The NHC issues advisories and assigns numbers or names to subtropical depressions and storms in the same way it does for tropical cyclones, meaning that if the system meets the criteria, it will be officially designated Subtropical Storm Kyle.
Reader questions
What is a subtropical storm?
A subtropical storm combines characteristics of a tropical cyclone with those of a mid‑latitude low‑pressure system, often forming along weakening fronts and capable of producing heavy rain, gusty winds, and storm surge.
How likely is Subtropical Storm Kyle to form?
The NHC says the system must organize by the weekend; if it does not, unfavorable conditions will likely prevent it from becoming a named storm.
Will Kyle affect the United States?
Forecasters expect the system to remain far offshore, posing no direct threat to the U.S., though it may bring higher surf and rain to Bermuda.
Source: weather.com
