Issued at 300 PM GMT Wed Aug 12 2026
000 WTNT43 KNHC 121451 TCDAT3 Tropical Storm Cristobal Discussion Number 1 NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL032026 300 PM GMT Wed Aug 12 2026 The circulation associated with the area of low pressure we have been monitoring well east-northeast of Bermuda over the past several days has become better defined today. A recent ASCAT pass revealed an area of 35-40 kt winds southeast of the slightly elongated and exposed center, within the region of convection. While the convective organization has degraded since earlier this morning, scatterometer data indicate that the system has achieved tropical storm status, and it likely reached that threshold earlier this morning. Therefore, advisories are being initiated on Tropical Storm Cristobal, with the initial intensity set to 40 kt. Cristobal is moving quickly eastward around 22 kt over marginally favorable sea surface temperatures near 25 C. The storm is currently positioned between a subtropical high to the south, and a ridge extending over the north-central Atlantic to the northeast. A turn toward the northeast, accompanied by a gradual decrease in forward speed, is expected later today and tonight as Cristobal moves along the southwestern periphery of the northern Atlantic ridge. Slow weakening is forecast during this period as the storm moves over progressively cooler waters and encounters increasingly dry mid-level air and stronger northerly wind shear. Cristobal is expected to be short-lived and dissipate on Thursday. The official NHC track and intensity forecasts lie near the middle of the consensus guidance and are closest to the HCCA solution. FORECAST POSITIONS AND MAX WINDS INIT 12/1500Z 36.7N 43.0W 40 KT 45 MPH 12H 13/0000Z 37.4N 40.2W 35 KT 40 MPH 24H 13/1200Z 38.5N 37.2W 30 KT 35 MPH 36H 14/0000Z...DISSIPATED $$ Forecaster Adams/Cangialosi
