If Sebastien hits hurricane force, it will reach a benchmark not seen since 2012
By
Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Nov 21, 2019 3:46 PM EDT
These images, taken on Thursday morning, Nov. 21, 2019, show Tropical Storm Sebastien well northeast of Puerto Rico and north-northeast of the Leeward Islands over the central Atlantic. (NOAA/GOES-East)
Tropical Storm Sebastien, far out over the Atlantic Ocean, has the potential to become the seventh hurricane of the 2019 Atlantic season, but the clock is ticking on the chances for that type of intensification to occur as the effects of wind shear are expected to take a toll on the storm system.
Thus far, the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season has produced 20 tropical depressions, 18 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes as of Nov. 21. Already, this season is the most active in terms of named storms since 2012.
As of Thursday night, Tropical Storm Sebastien featured maximum sustained winds of 60 mph with higher gusts and was moving on an east-northeast trajectory at 15 mph.
Sebastien, located about 600 miles to the northeast of the northern Leeward Islands, does not pose a threat to land.
Wind shear seems to be taking a toll on the storm and it probably has missed its chance at becoming the seventh hurricane of the 2019 Atlantic season.
The last "S" hurricane in the Atlantic was Sandy in 2012.
A gradual weakening process will is forecast through this weekend.
Since Sebastien has taken a slightly more easterly track compared to earlier this week, it is likely to slip south of the Azores.
"By the time Sebastien passes south of the Azores next week, it will no longer be a tropical system," according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski.
Even though there were a couple of other weak disturbances over the Atlantic, AccuWeather meteorologists say tropical development is not anticipated through the end of November.
Hurricane season officially ends on Nov. 30 for the Atlantic basin. By then, strong wind shear usually dominates the prime development areas of the basin, effectively ending the threat for tropical systems to brew.
However, this does not necessarily mean that tropical storm or hurricanes cannot form in December and such an occurrence is possible this year.
Download the free AccuWeather app to check the forecast in your area. Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Hurricane
If Sebastien hits hurricane force, it will reach a benchmark not seen since 2012
By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Nov 21, 2019 3:46 PM EDT
These images, taken on Thursday morning, Nov. 21, 2019, show Tropical Storm Sebastien well northeast of Puerto Rico and north-northeast of the Leeward Islands over the central Atlantic. (NOAA/GOES-East)
Tropical Storm Sebastien, far out over the Atlantic Ocean, has the potential to become the seventh hurricane of the 2019 Atlantic season, but the clock is ticking on the chances for that type of intensification to occur as the effects of wind shear are expected to take a toll on the storm system.
Thus far, the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season has produced 20 tropical depressions, 18 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes as of Nov. 21. Already, this season is the most active in terms of named storms since 2012.
As of Thursday night, Tropical Storm Sebastien featured maximum sustained winds of 60 mph with higher gusts and was moving on an east-northeast trajectory at 15 mph.
Sebastien, located about 600 miles to the northeast of the northern Leeward Islands, does not pose a threat to land.
Wind shear seems to be taking a toll on the storm and it probably has missed its chance at becoming the seventh hurricane of the 2019 Atlantic season.
The last "S" hurricane in the Atlantic was Sandy in 2012.
A gradual weakening process will is forecast through this weekend.
Related:
Since Sebastien has taken a slightly more easterly track compared to earlier this week, it is likely to slip south of the Azores.
"By the time Sebastien passes south of the Azores next week, it will no longer be a tropical system," according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski.
Even though there were a couple of other weak disturbances over the Atlantic, AccuWeather meteorologists say tropical development is not anticipated through the end of November.
Hurricane season officially ends on Nov. 30 for the Atlantic basin. By then, strong wind shear usually dominates the prime development areas of the basin, effectively ending the threat for tropical systems to brew.
However, this does not necessarily mean that tropical storm or hurricanes cannot form in December and such an occurrence is possible this year.
Download the free AccuWeather app to check the forecast in your area. Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo