Tropical Storm Kyle joins Josephine in Atlantic Basin
By
Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Aug. 14, 2020 1:12 PM
As we move to the peak of hurricane season, we look back on the history of K-named storms, including the most infamous storm, Hurricane Katrina back in 2005.
Tropical Storm Kyle formed Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. EDT, becoming the latest named feature in a growing list of record-breaking storms for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. By early Sunday morning, the storm weakened to a post-tropical low well to the southeast of Nova Scotia.
Kyle formed off the Eastern coast of the U.S., about 185 miles southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Meteorologists began watching what the National Hurricane Center had dubbed Invest 96L earlier this past week, which was born from showers and thunderstorms over the southeastern United States.
This image, captured during Friday afternoon, August 14, 2020, revealed banding structure to the clouds and the hint of a low-level circulation just off the Delmarva coast. These conditions are indicative of a budding tropical cyclone. (NOAA/GOES-East)
Rain directly from this system is not likely to fall on the Northeast. However, there are other non-tropical systems that will continue to instigate some weather trouble spots through Sunday.
The circulation around the system off the East Coast could actually tend to drag drier air southward and could prevent the rain dampening the South from spreading northward over New England on Sunday.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Part of the reason for breezy to windy conditions and rough surf along the mid-Atlantic coast, in addition to the disturbance itself, has to do with the difference in atmosphere pressure from north to south. An area of high pressure was hovering over southeastern Canada. As the air will flow from high to low pressure from the disturbance, it will create breezy, if not windy, conditions. Proximity to the smooth ocean surface and the disturbance itself can add several miles per hour to the strength of the wind.
Since some of the flow of air is blowing in from the ocean, that landward breeze is helping to raise surf and cause slightly-above-normal tides from North Carolina to New Jersey and will continue to do so even on Sunday with Kyle moving well out to sea. Tides can be a foot or two above normal, which can be enough to cause minor coastal flooding at times of high tide in some communities.
Forecasters urge bathers to be on the alert for increasing rip currents.
Small craft advisories remain in effect along the East Coast from the Maryland and Delaware up through coastal Maine through Sunday.
Steering winds will keep Kyle far enough away from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland to avoid direct impact, but a period of rough seas and surf could occur into early week in this part of Canada.
Three other Atlantic storms were named Kyle, first in 1996 followed by one in 2002 and 2008. The most commonly used "K" name for Atlantic storms has been Karen, which has been used to name six storms. This year's Kyle will be the 34th K-named storm in the basin.
The formation of Kyle has set an early-season formation record for the letter "K." The current record belongs to the infamous Katrina from Aug. 24, 2005.
The 2020 Atlantic tropical cyclone season has already set seven other early-season formation records starting with Cristobal in July and then seven storms in a row from Edouard through Josephine and now Kyle. All of the last seven storms previous early-season records were set during the notorious 2005 season that went on to bring Katrina and Wilma.
Most likely, 2020 will continue to set many more early-season formation records, and this year could be second only to the number of named storms set during the historic 2005 season, which generated a record 28 storms. Like the 2005 season, Greek letters, which are used when the seasonal list is exhausted could again be needed this year, forecasters warn.
Additional threats from the tropics will warrant a close eye from forecasters into the next week.
Following the name Kyle, the "L" storm for this year in the Atlantic is Laura. The early-season formation record for the "L" storm is Luis set on Aug. 29, 1995.
In a similar zone to where Kyle formed off the mid-Atlantic coast, there is the potential for another tropical system to organize.
"In addition for the potential for a tropical system to develop from the train of tropical disturbances, known as tropical waves, moving westward from Africa, we will be keeping an eye on the Gulf of Mexico this week," Kottlowski said.
A feature similar to the disturbance along the Atlantic coast could set up over the Gulf of Mexico this week.
"During the latter part of the week, a tropical disturbance could evolve over the western and northwest part of the Gulf of Mexico," added Kottlowski.
"We continue to expect a very busy time from late August through September and October and especially during the heart of the hurricane season in September, and there is some indication that we may continue to have named systems toward the end of the season," Kottlowski said.
AccuWeather is predicting up to 24 named tropical storms with nine to 11 of those expected to strengthen further into hurricanes this season in the Atlantic basin.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Hurricane
Tropical Storm Kyle joins Josephine in Atlantic Basin
By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Aug. 14, 2020 1:12 PM
As we move to the peak of hurricane season, we look back on the history of K-named storms, including the most infamous storm, Hurricane Katrina back in 2005.
Tropical Storm Kyle formed Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. EDT, becoming the latest named feature in a growing list of record-breaking storms for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season. By early Sunday morning, the storm weakened to a post-tropical low well to the southeast of Nova Scotia.
Kyle formed off the Eastern coast of the U.S., about 185 miles southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Meteorologists began watching what the National Hurricane Center had dubbed Invest 96L earlier this past week, which was born from showers and thunderstorms over the southeastern United States.
This image, captured during Friday afternoon, August 14, 2020, revealed banding structure to the clouds and the hint of a low-level circulation just off the Delmarva coast. These conditions are indicative of a budding tropical cyclone. (NOAA/GOES-East)
Rain directly from this system is not likely to fall on the Northeast. However, there are other non-tropical systems that will continue to instigate some weather trouble spots through Sunday.
The circulation around the system off the East Coast could actually tend to drag drier air southward and could prevent the rain dampening the South from spreading northward over New England on Sunday.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Part of the reason for breezy to windy conditions and rough surf along the mid-Atlantic coast, in addition to the disturbance itself, has to do with the difference in atmosphere pressure from north to south. An area of high pressure was hovering over southeastern Canada. As the air will flow from high to low pressure from the disturbance, it will create breezy, if not windy, conditions. Proximity to the smooth ocean surface and the disturbance itself can add several miles per hour to the strength of the wind.
Since some of the flow of air is blowing in from the ocean, that landward breeze is helping to raise surf and cause slightly-above-normal tides from North Carolina to New Jersey and will continue to do so even on Sunday with Kyle moving well out to sea. Tides can be a foot or two above normal, which can be enough to cause minor coastal flooding at times of high tide in some communities.
Forecasters urge bathers to be on the alert for increasing rip currents.
Small craft advisories remain in effect along the East Coast from the Maryland and Delaware up through coastal Maine through Sunday.
Steering winds will keep Kyle far enough away from Nova Scotia and Newfoundland to avoid direct impact, but a period of rough seas and surf could occur into early week in this part of Canada.
Three other Atlantic storms were named Kyle, first in 1996 followed by one in 2002 and 2008. The most commonly used "K" name for Atlantic storms has been Karen, which has been used to name six storms. This year's Kyle will be the 34th K-named storm in the basin.
The formation of Kyle has set an early-season formation record for the letter "K." The current record belongs to the infamous Katrina from Aug. 24, 2005.
Related:
The 2020 Atlantic tropical cyclone season has already set seven other early-season formation records starting with Cristobal in July and then seven storms in a row from Edouard through Josephine and now Kyle. All of the last seven storms previous early-season records were set during the notorious 2005 season that went on to bring Katrina and Wilma.
Most likely, 2020 will continue to set many more early-season formation records, and this year could be second only to the number of named storms set during the historic 2005 season, which generated a record 28 storms. Like the 2005 season, Greek letters, which are used when the seasonal list is exhausted could again be needed this year, forecasters warn.
Additional threats from the tropics will warrant a close eye from forecasters into the next week.
Following the name Kyle, the "L" storm for this year in the Atlantic is Laura. The early-season formation record for the "L" storm is Luis set on Aug. 29, 1995.
In a similar zone to where Kyle formed off the mid-Atlantic coast, there is the potential for another tropical system to organize.
"In addition for the potential for a tropical system to develop from the train of tropical disturbances, known as tropical waves, moving westward from Africa, we will be keeping an eye on the Gulf of Mexico this week," Kottlowski said.
A feature similar to the disturbance along the Atlantic coast could set up over the Gulf of Mexico this week.
"During the latter part of the week, a tropical disturbance could evolve over the western and northwest part of the Gulf of Mexico," added Kottlowski.
"We continue to expect a very busy time from late August through September and October and especially during the heart of the hurricane season in September, and there is some indication that we may continue to have named systems toward the end of the season," Kottlowski said.
AccuWeather is predicting up to 24 named tropical storms with nine to 11 of those expected to strengthen further into hurricanes this season in the Atlantic basin.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo