National Hurricane Center monitoring area by Southeast Coast

The National Hurricane Center is watching an area in the Atlantic near the Southeast for potential tropical development over the next week.

A broad area of low pressure is expected to form early next week along a frontal boundary draped over the region.

Gradual development of the system is possible through the following days as it slowly moves westward, but the chances of a tropical system forming within the next seven days are still very low.

There is still a lot of uncertainty as to whether or not a system will form at all, much less if there will be any significant impacts to the Southeast or other parts of the U.S.

However, stormy activity near the coast can contribute to dangerous beach conditions, including strong rip currents and large waves. This is especially relevant as we approach the holiday weekend and temperatures heat up, as people may flock to the beaches to celebrate and cool off.

(MORE: Rip Currents Explained: How They Form, How To Spot Them And How To Escape)

The system can also contribute to stormy conditions across the Southeast and Florida next week, and while rainfall totals are likely to be relatively light (2 to 3 inches over the course of a week), this will still help provide relief to ongoing drought conditions in the Carolinas and Florida.

For now, this is something to pay attention to rather than worry about.

How it could form

The National Hurricane Center stated that this area of low pressure could form off of a front moving through the area. This is one of the main ways early-season tropical systems can develop.

Fronts that move along the Lower 48 can stall out over the warm water of the ocean current along the Eastern U.S. These fronts can develop areas of rotation along them, and should the conditions be right, we could see a tropical system develop.

And since we are in an El Niño, it is not out of the question for the tropics to heat up closer to home and for tropical systems to develop.

(MORE: Where Atlantic storms form in June and what how El Niño can impact)

It is still too far out to say for sure, but we will keep you posted. The next name for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season is Bertha.