NU Online News Service, Aug. 10, 1:58 p.m.EDT

As we enter what is historically the most-active period fortropical storm and hurricane formations, one weather forecastingcompany says that the Atlantic could give birth to several systemsover the next couple of weeks.

Accuweather.com saysAugust is a time when the Cape Verde storms (tropical systems thatoriginate from the Cape Verde Islands near Africa) begin to rampup, while the risk of near-shore formation of storms continues.

A push of cooler air into the Northeast is sometimes a sign thatthe tropical Atlantic is about to roll into high gear, saysAccuweather. That extra cool push in the north helps to generatesome spin in the subtropics, farther south.

Traditionally, Augustthrough October has been the busiest months for the tropical stormformations, which begins on June 1 and runs through November.

According to Tropical Weather and Hurricane Expert DanKottlowski, there are three disturbances that could evolve intotropical storms.

The first is “a disturbance associated with a cluster ofthunderstorms crossing the Southeast U.S.,” he says. “This may workto give birth to a weak, short-lived tropical system off theCarolina coast late this week.”

Accuweather.com said the other two disturbances could developfrom tropical waves, or Cape Verde systems.

If the tropical storms do form, climatic factors could affecttheir intensity and direction, though.

“There are still disruptive areas of wind shear and pockets ofdry air lurking about the Atlantic,” says Long Range Expert PaulPastelok.

However, Accuweather.com warns that while an “atmosphericroadblock will continue to protect the U.S. mainland coast for thenext 10 to 14 days, there is some indication this protection willexpire for the Southeast U.S. somewhere around Aug. 25.”