Tropical Storms Peter and Rose Form Over Atlantic Ocean

A satellite view of Tropical Storm Peter over the Atlantic Ocean at 1:40 p.m. ET on Sept. 19, 2021. NOAA

Forecasters said Tropical Storm Peter formed over the Atlantic Ocean early Sunday and Tropical Depression Seventeen intensified into Tropical Storm Rose Sunday afternoon, over the far eastern Atlantic, becoming the 16th and 17th storms of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season.

Peter was centered about 350 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said in a 5 p.m. ET advisory.

The tropical storm was expected to bring rain to the islands, including the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, through Tuesday. Forecasters expected 1 to 3 inches of rainfall through Tuesday.

Maximum sustained winds were around 45 mph and Peter was moving west-northwest at 17 mph. No coastal watches or warnings were in effect.

Meanwhile, Tropical Depression Seventeen formed early Sunday and strengthened into Tropical Storm Rose in the afternoon. Forecasters said it was over the far eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean, about 370 miles west of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands.

Rose had maximum sustained winds around 40 mph and was moving north-northwest at 16 mph. There were no immediate threats to land, forecasters said.

Only two other Atlantic hurricane seasons have had 16 named storms by Sept. 19 since the satellite era began in 1966. Those were the 2005 and 2020 seasons, according to Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach.

The Associated Press contributed to this report