There is a system in the Gulf forecasters are watching but wind shear has the National Hurricane Center's near-term forecasts remaining quiet.

During hurricane season, there are plenty of different watches and warnings including: hurricane, storm surge and tropical storm. So, what's the difference between a watch versus a warning? The National Ocean Service has certain criteria that must be met before either one is issued.

Michael Brennan, Ph.D., director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center, said the Atlantic basin is expected to see eight to 14 named storms this year, including three to six hurricanes and one to three major hurricanes. He said that while a quieter-than-normal season is the most likely outcome, seasonal forecasts do not determine local risk.

Severe tropical storm Jangmi moves towards Tokyo on Wednesday, with forecasters warning of floods after torrential rain battered swathes of the country and prompted calls to evacuate for hundreds of thousands of people.

Changes this year to the hurricane “cone of uncertainty” will make it easier to understand inland risks, as well as where the storm is headed.