Another potential tropical threat brewing off southeast coast
By
Nicole LoBiondo, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Sep 12, 2021 12:43 PM EST
|
Updated Sep 14, 2021 4:37 AM EST
September 10 is the climatological peak of the hurricane season and is the busiest month for tropical development. Tony Laubach has the details.
AccuWeather meteorologists are closely monitoring an area of the Atlantic basin just off the southeastern coast of the United States for the possibility of tropical development during the middle to late week that, regardless of whether it strengthens into a named storm, could stir up dangerous surf and trigger tropical downpours along the coast of the Carolinas.
On the heels of the formation of Tropical Storm Nicholas over the Gulf of Mexico, a feature just off the Southeast coast could be the next potential candidate for tropical development to bring impacts to the United States.
Less than a week ago, Tropical Storm Mindy quickly organized and ramped up before making landfall along the Florida Panhandle last Wednesday. Mindy was the seventh landfalling tropical system to hit the U.S. so far during the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season.
Mindy unleashed heavy, tropical rain over portions of northern Florida, eastern Georgia and southern South Carolina late last Wednesday into early Thursday morning.
"Development may occur off of the Southeast coast during the mid- to late-week period as the northern portion of a tropical wave currently near Puerto Rico interacts with an upper-level storm east of the Bahamas," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Randy Adkins explained.
The tropical entity being scrutinized by AccuWeather forecasters could lead to heavy rains for other portions of the same areas Mindy impacted. Places such as the immediate coasts of the Carolinas may have localized tropical downpours as early as Friday, as the system could track very close to the U.S.
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If given enough time and certain atmospheric conditions, mid- to upper-level storms can spin down to the lower part of the atmosphere and take on tropical characteristics, especially during this time of year. The Atlantic basin reached peak hurricane season on Sept. 10.
Adkins went on to say that conditions will be such that a tropical depression could develop as wind shear decreases in the area of potential development with the feature as the week progresses.
Wind shear is the change in direction and speed of winds at increasing heights in the atmosphere. When strong wind shear is present, the cloud tops of a tropical system can be "chopped off," resulting in the storm becoming lopsided and unlikely to intensify.
As wind shear decreases, another factor that could contribute to the formation of the tropical system is the warm waters of the Gulf Stream off the Southeast coast.
Water temperatures in this part of the Atlantic Ocean are in the middle to upper 80s Fahrenheit. When water temperatures are 78 degrees or warmer, conditions are considered to be favorable for tropical development.
AccuWeather meteorologists are monitoring this situation closely as there is a chance that the storm could track close enough to the U.S. to spread locally heavy rain along parts of the East Coast late this week.
Local downpours from Charleston, South Carolina, to Virginia Beach, Virginia, are possible if the tropical system tracks close to the Carolina coast. The amount of tropical downpours may become numerous for areas closest to the coast. There is also the potential for drenching rain to push into coastal areas of the Northeast at the end of the week.
"Regardless of where the storm tracks, as this feature slowly drifts northward it will bring rough surf and dangerous rip currents to much of the East Coast," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert said.
Many coastal residents and tourists may be tempted to cool off in the water from Montauk, New York, to Folly Beach, South Carolina, as temperatures will soar to the 90-degree mark middle to late this week. Experts recommend not to swim in areas where strong rip currents are likely as it could result in a potentially dangerous, life-threatening situation.
Like the record-setting 2020 season, the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season is about to blow past seasonal averages. Typically, only 14 named storms form during the course of an entire season.
In 2020, there were 30 named systems, so the Greek alphabet was used after all 21 names on the list had been exhausted. The 2021 season could reach the end of the first order of names once again, but rather than utilize the Greek alphabet, there is a secondary list of names that was determined by the World Meteorological Organization for the National Hurricane Center to use as needed.
The feature off the Southeast coast could become Odette by as early as the middle of this week.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, DIRECTVstream, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeatherNOW is streaming on Roku and XUMO.
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News / Hurricane
Another potential tropical threat brewing off southeast coast
By Nicole LoBiondo, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Sep 12, 2021 12:43 PM EST | Updated Sep 14, 2021 4:37 AM EST
September 10 is the climatological peak of the hurricane season and is the busiest month for tropical development. Tony Laubach has the details.
AccuWeather meteorologists are closely monitoring an area of the Atlantic basin just off the southeastern coast of the United States for the possibility of tropical development during the middle to late week that, regardless of whether it strengthens into a named storm, could stir up dangerous surf and trigger tropical downpours along the coast of the Carolinas.
On the heels of the formation of Tropical Storm Nicholas over the Gulf of Mexico, a feature just off the Southeast coast could be the next potential candidate for tropical development to bring impacts to the United States.
Less than a week ago, Tropical Storm Mindy quickly organized and ramped up before making landfall along the Florida Panhandle last Wednesday. Mindy was the seventh landfalling tropical system to hit the U.S. so far during the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season.
Mindy unleashed heavy, tropical rain over portions of northern Florida, eastern Georgia and southern South Carolina late last Wednesday into early Thursday morning.
"Development may occur off of the Southeast coast during the mid- to late-week period as the northern portion of a tropical wave currently near Puerto Rico interacts with an upper-level storm east of the Bahamas," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Randy Adkins explained.
The tropical entity being scrutinized by AccuWeather forecasters could lead to heavy rains for other portions of the same areas Mindy impacted. Places such as the immediate coasts of the Carolinas may have localized tropical downpours as early as Friday, as the system could track very close to the U.S.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
If given enough time and certain atmospheric conditions, mid- to upper-level storms can spin down to the lower part of the atmosphere and take on tropical characteristics, especially during this time of year. The Atlantic basin reached peak hurricane season on Sept. 10.
Adkins went on to say that conditions will be such that a tropical depression could develop as wind shear decreases in the area of potential development with the feature as the week progresses.
Wind shear is the change in direction and speed of winds at increasing heights in the atmosphere. When strong wind shear is present, the cloud tops of a tropical system can be "chopped off," resulting in the storm becoming lopsided and unlikely to intensify.
As wind shear decreases, another factor that could contribute to the formation of the tropical system is the warm waters of the Gulf Stream off the Southeast coast.
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Water temperatures in this part of the Atlantic Ocean are in the middle to upper 80s Fahrenheit. When water temperatures are 78 degrees or warmer, conditions are considered to be favorable for tropical development.
AccuWeather meteorologists are monitoring this situation closely as there is a chance that the storm could track close enough to the U.S. to spread locally heavy rain along parts of the East Coast late this week.
Local downpours from Charleston, South Carolina, to Virginia Beach, Virginia, are possible if the tropical system tracks close to the Carolina coast. The amount of tropical downpours may become numerous for areas closest to the coast. There is also the potential for drenching rain to push into coastal areas of the Northeast at the end of the week.
"Regardless of where the storm tracks, as this feature slowly drifts northward it will bring rough surf and dangerous rip currents to much of the East Coast," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alan Reppert said.
Many coastal residents and tourists may be tempted to cool off in the water from Montauk, New York, to Folly Beach, South Carolina, as temperatures will soar to the 90-degree mark middle to late this week. Experts recommend not to swim in areas where strong rip currents are likely as it could result in a potentially dangerous, life-threatening situation.
Like the record-setting 2020 season, the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season is about to blow past seasonal averages. Typically, only 14 named storms form during the course of an entire season.
In 2020, there were 30 named systems, so the Greek alphabet was used after all 21 names on the list had been exhausted. The 2021 season could reach the end of the first order of names once again, but rather than utilize the Greek alphabet, there is a secondary list of names that was determined by the World Meteorological Organization for the National Hurricane Center to use as needed.
The feature off the Southeast coast could become Odette by as early as the middle of this week.
For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, DIRECTVstream, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeatherNOW is streaming on Roku and XUMO.
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