Erin, the first hurricane of the season dropped to a Category 1 hurricane with top winds of 90 mph heading towards the open Atlantic. However, tropical depression number seven was upgraded to Tropical Storm and has been named Felix.

Monitor up to date storm tracks here
View three hurricanes on one satellite image here
Check Felix' strength here

Tropical Storm Felix is expected to become a hurricane in the next few days, but it is not posing an immediate threat to any land at the moment. Tropical storms become hurricanes if their top sustained winds reach 74 mph. Meanwhile Tropical Depression 8 is forming in the Gulf of Mexico

NOAA predicts increased activity in 2001

In August forecasters at the Nationan Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) were exspecting a slight increase in tropical activity over the May pre-season forecast. So far 2001 was called for an average season. Typically, nine tropical storms form in an 'normal' season. Six to eight of those become hurricanes, two of which, typically, could strengthen to major hurricanes.

NOAA updated its 2001 outlook with a slightly increased activity for the northern Atlantic Ocean, the Carribean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. For the 2001 season the Ageny exspects 9 to 12 named storms, 6 to 8 hurricanes and 2 to 4 major hurricanes.