Two waves crossing the Atlantic are being closely monitored for development.
The
AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center reports that the pair of waves are being steered to the northwest and west
by the clockwise flow around a strong ridge of high pressure over the western Atlantic.
These two waves both have the potential to organize and grow stronger in the upcoming days, although, both will have to battle drier air to their north and African dust in the atmosphere, which
inhibits tropical development.
The lead wave is located 400 miles east of the Lesser Antilles and is moving to the west-northwest. Showers and thunderstorms still appear to be attempting to wrap around the system. However, an Air
Force Reconnaissance on Tuesday was unable to find a closed circulation. Another hurricane hunter aircraft is scheduled to investigate the system again if necessary.
Dry air to the north of the first wave is a limiting factor for development. Interactions with islands will be another inhibiting factor. This wave is set to arrive north of the Leeward islands by
Thursday afternoon and north of Puerto Rico on Friday.
However, if the wave can overcome the dry air, environmental conditions are fairly conducive to development. It is over sufficiently warm water to fuel strengthening into a tropical system. The wind
shear remains fairly weak overhead of the system and this means that winds would not interfere with a developing circulation of a tropical system.
The second wave could also become a tropical depression within the next few days. This feature is drifting westward through the central Atlantic more than 650 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde
islands.
Dry air to the north of this system and cooler water over the central Atlantic are the inhibiting factors to development of the trailing wave. However, winds in the upper atmosphere have become more
favorable for development.
All interests in the Caribbean and along the southeast coast of the U.S. should monitor the activity of the two waves over the next few days. The high pressure over the western Atlantic will be
responsible for steering these systems either toward the Southeast or into the Caribbean.
While it is too early to determine the impact either wave could have on the Southeast, there could be a beneficial side to the arrival of either system. Many areas in the Southeast are still
reporting rainfall deficits. Downsides would include impacting the citrus crop of the Southeast.
The U.S. Drought Monitor reported on Aug. 5, that extreme to exceptional drought conditions exist in extreme northeastern Georgia and western parts of the Carolinas. Extreme drought conditions are
also affecting portions of northern and central Alabama.
According to the
South Regional News story, Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta, Ga., are 6 inches below the normal rain
amount recorded between Jan. 1 and Aug. 11. Huntsville, Ala., has a deficit of 12 inches of rain so far this year. However, drought conditions across the South are significantly better than a year
ago.
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