Catarina made landfall near Santa Catarina state on March 28 with estimated 100-mph winds, damaging or destroying tens of thousands of homes. It was the first recorded hurricane-strength storm in the South Atlantic, making it a milestone in meteorological history.

The National Hurricane Center forecast shows the storm could reach hurricane strength as it approaches the southeastern U.S. coast early next week.

As it turns out, the hurricane naming system is an organized, multistep global process—not someone randomly selecting names for storms as they form. It involves an element of mystery and difficult decisions made on an annual basis.

Hurricane Gabrielle has strengthened with winds of 140 mph and has become a major Category 4 hurricane. The storm is expected to pass east of Bermuda on Monday night and is not a direct threat to Florida or the U.S. East Coast. Forecasters are also monitoring several other tropical waves in the Atlantic, with some showing potential for development.

Swells from Gabrielle are reaching the east coast of the United States from North Carolina northward and will continue through the early part this week, according to the National Hurricane Center. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.

Tropical Storm Humberto formed this week and forecasters are watching a second area for potential development.