Potential tropical cyclone is a designation used by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific basins that enables for features of high likelihood of undergoing tropical cyclogenesis to have watches and warnings issued for them. The practice began in 2017.
Operationality
The NHC defines a potential tropical cyclone as a disturbance which is not a tropical cyclone but is threatening to cause tropical storm or hurricane conditions to a landmass within 72 hours.
Advisories related to potential tropical cyclones are the same as developed tropical cyclones. The advent of the designation allowed for issuance of tropical cyclone warnings and watches prior to the development of a tropical cyclone. Prior, those watches and warnings could only be issued for fully-formed tropical cyclones.
History
The term was introduced for the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season with the aim of giving citizens more time to prepare for systems. At this point, disturbances were designated as such with a head time of 48 hours. The first system to be designated as a potential tropical cyclone was Tropical Storm Bret as it was moving towards the Windward Islands.
In 2025, the leading time for designation was extended to 72 hours before expected impact.
Usage
| System | Date designated | Area threatened | Peak classification (SSHWS) | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Bret | June 18, 2017 | Windward Islands | Tropical storm | |
| Tropical Storm Cindy | June 19, 2017 | Louisiana | Tropical storm | |
| Hurricane Harvey | August 17, 2017 | Lesser Antilles | Category 4 | |
| Tropical Storm Lidia | August 26, 2017 | Baja California Sur | Tropical storm | |
| Potential Tropical Cyclone Ten | August 27, 2017 | Carolinas | Potential tropical cyclone | |
| Tropical Storm Philippe | October 27, 2017 | Cuba, The Bahamas | Tropical storm | |
| Hurricane Florence | August 30, 2018 | Cape Verde | Category 4 | |
| Hurricane Helene | September 7, 2018 | Cape Verde | Category 2 | |
| Hurricane Humberto | September 12, 2019 | The Bahamas | Category 3 | |
| Potential Tropical Cyclone Seventeen-E | October 16, 2019 | South Mexico | Potential tropical cyclone | |
| Hurricane Isaias | July 28, 2020 | Antilles | Category 1 | |
| Tropical Storm Fred | August 9, 2021 | Antilles | Tropical storm | |
| Hurricane Grace | August 13, 2021 | Leeward Islands | Category 3 | |
| Tropical Storm Alex | June 2, 2022 | Cuba, Florida | Tropical storm | |
| Hurricane Bonnie | June 27, 2022 | Windward Islands | Category 3 | |
| Potential Tropical Cyclone Four | August 19, 2022 | Tamaulipas, Texas | Potential tropical cyclone | |
| Hurricane Julia | October 6, 2022 | Colombia | Category 1 | |
| Hurricane Lisa | October 30, 2022 | Jamaica, Grand Cayman | Category 1 | |
| Tropical Storm Max | October 7, 2023 | South Mexico | Tropical storm | |
| Potential Tropical Cyclone Twenty-Two | November 16, 2023 | Greater Antilles, Lucayan Archipelago | Potential tropical cyclone | |
| Hurricane Francine | September 8, 2024 | Gulf of Mexico | Category 2 | |
| Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight | September 15, 2024 | Carolinas | Potential tropical cyclone | |
| Hurricane Helene | September 23, 2024 | Yucatán Peninsula, Cuba | Category 4 | |
| Tropical Storm Nadine | October 18, 2024 | Yucatán Peninsula | Tropical storm | |
| Hurricane Erick | June 16, 2025 | South Mexico | Category 4 | |
| Hurricane Imelda | September 26, 2025 | The Bahamas | Category 1 | |
| Tropical Storm Arthur | June 16, 2026 | Texas, Louisiana | Tropical storm | |
| Hurricane Lala | August 12, 2026 | Hawaii | Category 4 | |
| Tropical Storm Edouard | August 31, 2026 | Texas, Louisiana | Tropical storm |
