Tropical Storm Josephine Forms In Atlantic

MIAMI, FL — Tropical Storm Josephine formed over the Atlantic Thursday to become the 10th named storm of the season though the storm does not appear to be a threat to the United States.

The National Hurricane Center said Josephine was located about 760 miles east-southeast of the northern Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph as of 11 p.m. Thursday.

"On the forecast track, the center of Josephine is expected to pass to the northeast of the Leeward Islands over the weekend," the National Hurricane Center said at 11 p.m. Thursday.

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The National Hurricane Center was also monitoring a broad area of low pressure over eastern North Carolina as of Thursday night. That disturbance had a 30 percent chance of turning into a tropical cyclone over a two-day period and a 40 percent chance over a five-day period.

Josephine was moving toward the west-northwest near 17 mph and that movement was expected to continue for the next couple of days.

Weather researchers predict the 2020 Atlantic hurricane system will be "extremely active" with the potential to be one for the record books.

See related:

• 2020 Hurricane Season May Bring Record Number Of Storms
• 2020 Hurricane Season Brings Uncertainty, Sleepless Nights

An average season produces 12 named storms, including six hurricanes of which three become major Category 3 storms or above with top winds of at least 111 mph.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its updated seasonal outlook earlier this month that we could see a total of 19-25 named storms with winds of at least 39 mph, of which 7-11 will become hurricanes, including three to six major hurricanes.

The arrival of Josephine comes weeks after Hurricane Isaias hammered parts of the U.S. East Coast.