'Double Trouble' Swirls Deep In Tropics As Cindy Forms With East Coast In Crosshairs

Tropical Storm Cindy formed Thursday night over the Atlantic Ocean, while Tropical Storm Bret churns in the Caribbean Sea. Two named storms swirling in June are an extraordinarily rare event. 

As of 0500 ET, TS Cindy was located about 990 miles east of the Lesser Antilles, moving west-northwest at 15 mph with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. 

"On the forecast track, the system is expected to remain well east and northeast of the northern Leeward Islands through early next week," the NHC said. "Some strengthening is forecast during the next couple of days."

Computer models show TS Cindy's possible trajectory is near the US East Coast sometime late next week though nothing is concrete. 

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Bret is moving westward over the Caribbean Sea with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph. 

According to meteorologist Philip Klotzbach at Colorado State University, the two tropical storms simultaneously forming in June have not happened since 1968. 

For the first time since 1968, the Atlantic has two named storms in June simultaneously. #Bret #Cindy pic.twitter.com/neOLj6AFmf

— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) June 23, 2023

Perhaps what's leading to increased tropical activity is a marine heatwave in the Atlantic.