Thursday, September 8, 2011

Katia, Maria, Nate!!!

Good Afternoon,

Today's update briefly discusses Hurricane Katia which is a Category 1 hurricane and is moving north between Bermuda and the U.S. Katia is no threat to any landmass at this time and should continue her re-curve back into the open Atlantic,
Tropical Storm Maria has weakened significantly since yesterday partly due to shear and also partly due to her fast forward speed of 20 to 22 knots. Her center is completely exposed and devoid of convection. A downgrade is possible today after the hurricane hunters investigate, and its a possibility that she may be degenerating into an open wave. Her strength will greatly influence her eventual track. She should continue to the west or west-northwest over the next couple of days affecting the northern Leeward Islands and then Puerto Rico and Hispaniola. Thereafter the central and northern Bahamas should monitor her progress as it is likely that they would be the next affected. Maria could pose a threat to the eastern seaboard, however a re-curve looks more likely at this time.
Finally Tropical Storm Nate is located in the Bay of Campeche moving little over the past few hours. Nate has been struggling with moderate shear and very dry air keeping him on the weak side for the short term. Lee should slowly start a northward drift over the next several days likely impacting the northern gulf coast later next week. Models differ significantly from a track into Mexico, to a track towards the upper Texas coastlines and into Louisiana. Several factors will come into play to determine the final track of Nate and it is much too early to forecast that exact point. All interests in the Gulf of Mexico should closely monitor Nate's progress.
Thanks for stopping by!!!




Thanks,

Forecaster Mansfield

Xtreme Weather Tracker

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Hurricane Katia, Tropical Storm Maria, Nate Soon!!!

Good Morning,

Hurricane Katia is currently located southwest of Bermuda moving to the northwest at 9 MPH. Katia is a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir Simpson Wind Scale with maximum sustained winds of 85 MPH. Katia is currently slowing down to make her northward turn between the Outer Banks of North Carolina and the island of Bermuda. Bermuda as well as the eastern seaboard could experience gusty winds, large swells, and rip currents. Other than this the impacts to any land areas should be minimal.
Newly named Tropical Storm Maria is located in the central Atlantic and is moving westward at a fast clip of 23 MPH. Maria has maximum sustained winds of 50 MPH. Maria looks rather disorganized on satellite but should strengthen slowly over the next few days. Maria is forecast to move to the west or west-northwest around the periphery of the Azores High moving toward the Leeward Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend. Those two areas could see hurricane force conditions later this weekend as Maria makes her approach. There is a possibility that Maria stays weak and enters the Caribbean as the Euro model has stubbornly depicted. Time will tell!!
Finally, there is an area of disturbed weather located in the Bay of Campeche dubbed 96L west of the Yucatan Peninsula that is slowly becoming better organized. None of the reliable models show significant development; however slow development is possible over the next few days. The main hindrance to development of 96L is dry air in the Gulf of Mexico. If development occurs models differ on track from taking 96L into central Mexico, to moving it northward toward the Louisiana coastline. This area will have to be watched carefully over the next several days as the Gulf of Mexico's water temperatures are bath water warm and shear is forecast to be moderate to light. The NHC has tasked a Hurricane Hunter aircraft to investigate the system this afternoon.
Thanks for stopping by!!!




Thanks,

Jeremy

Xtreme Weather Tracker

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Hurricane Katia, Maria and Nate Soon!!!

Good Afternoon,

In today's update we will analyze Hurricane Katia which is currently a Category 3 hurricane with sustained winds of 115 MPH. Katia is moving to the northwest at about 9 MPH and should start to move in a more northerly direction over the next couple of days. Thereafter she is expected to turn more to the northeast and re-curve between the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Bermuda. Her impacts should be limited to gusty winds, a few outer band squalls and higher than normal surf and dangerous rip currents along the eastern seaboard and Bermuda.
Secondly, we discuss the homegrown tropical trouble that i mentioned in the last update in the Bay of Campeche that has recently been dubbed Invest 96L. This system could possible form from the leftovers from TS Lee combined with a frontal boundary that pushed into the Gulf of Mexico over the weekend. Slow development of this system is possible and it should drift to the north-northeast over time possibly impacting the central or eastern Gulf Coast in 5 days or so. Once again high pressure will block moisture from reaching into Texas to remedy the drought conditions that have been so persistent over the summer.
Third we will delve into the specifics of 95L which will be classified later today as Tropical Depression #14. TD# 14 should move west-northwest and become Tropical Storm Maria over the next several days. It is then forecast to move very close to the Leeward Islands or possibly into the Caribbean over the next several days. Models are disagreeing somewhat on the eventual track with the more prominent Euro model keeping the system week and moving it into the Caribbean later this week. Time will tell!!
Last, a small area of showers and thunderstorms associated with a tropical wave is located just to the east of the Lesser Antilles islands moving to the west. Development chances are slim at this point, but this area should be monitored for development as it moves into the Caribbean later this week!!
Thanks for stopping by!!!





Thanks,

Jeremy Mansfield

Xtreme Weather Tracker

Monday, September 5, 2011

Hurricane Katia, Invest 95L and Homegrown Tropical Troubles!!!

Good Afternoon,

Today's update discusses Hurricane Katia and her potential track close to the east coast of the U.S. I also discuss newly designated Invest 95L located southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. Lastly, there are indications of homegrown tropical trouble in the Bay of Campeche west of the Yucatan Peninsula in the next 3 to 5 days from the remnants of Lee interacting with a cut-off frontal system in the Gulf of Mexico. Thanks for stopping by!!



Thanks,

Jeremy

Xtreme Weather Tracker