Latest news with #tropicalwave
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Chances Of Tropical Development Near The Lesser Antilles This Week Remain Slim
We're watching for development of a tropical wave in the middle of the Atlantic into what could be the season's next tropical depression or storm, however, the chances remain slim. The disorganized wave is located well over 500 miles east of Barbados, or roughly halfway between the Lesser Antilles and Africa. It has winds of up to 40 mph in a small area of thunderstorms near the wave axis. (MORE: What is a Tropical Wave?) Conditions are marginally favorable for further development as this wave moves westward at 10 mph. For now, the threat of this disturbance becoming anything more than a rainmaker is low. This is not a threat to the United States. It will be guided along the southern periphery of the Bermuda High on a westward path. The tropical wave will reach the Caribbean around Thursday. By the time it nears the Caribbean, wind shear is expected to increase, making it more difficult to produce dangerous conditions and intensify. Several inches of rain are likely on the islands that this disturbance passes over. An increase in swells and rip current potential are expected late week near the Lesser Antilles. These effects may be confined to a smaller area given the wave's smaller size. Computer models are not currently expecting much sustained intensification near the islands, so wind may not be a major threat there. We'll keep an eye on it. The next tropical storm will be named "Dexter." (MORE: From Thunderstorms To Major Storm: The Life Cycle Of A Hurricane) Nearing August: Tropical Wave Development Typically Increases There is a notable increase in tropical activity in the southern Atlantic throughout late July and into early August. This is because dusty, dry, Saharan air – one of the Atlantic's biggest limiting factors – typically disperses and allows tropical waves to produce tall thunderstorms. These thunderstorms lead to a healthier system and could eventually lead to the formation of a tropical depression or storm. At the same time, water temperatures are often near their annual peak and wind shear is often decreasing. Development chances also increase in the Gulf and western Atlantic as we approach August. Jonathan Belles has been a digital meteorologist for for 9 years and also assists in the production of videos for The Weather Channel en español. His favorite weather is tropical weather, but also enjoys covering high-impact weather and news stories and winter storms. He's a two-time graduate of Florida State University and a proud graduate of St. Petersburg College.
The Independent
20-05-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Tropical wave detected in Atlantic — weeks before hurricane season really begins
The first tropical wave of the season was just identified in the Atlantic Ocean — weeks before the start of this year's hurricane season. Currently moving just west of Africa, large-scale low-pressure systems similar to this may lead to the formation of a tropical cyclone. 'The axis of a tropical wave is near 26W, to the south of 15N, moving west at around 11 mph. Nearby convection is noted in the monsoon trough and Intertropical Convergence Zone section,' forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said in their Tuesday update. Convection is a critical part of storm formation that sends warm air and moisture into the atmosphere. This one, however, is not expected to threaten the U.S. or develop any further. That's due to a dry and dusty air mass in its path, WFTV 9 said. Other areas of the Atlantic closer to the U.S. are quiet just 11 days before the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season on June 1. In fact, it may even be eerily quiet, according to Philip Klotzbach, a Colorado State University meteorologist specializing in Atlantic basin seasonal hurricane forecasts. "Five other years since 1950 have had zero Northern Hemisphere named storms through May 15: 1973, 1983, 1984, 1998, and 2024," he wrote in a post on the social media platform X. 'The latest first named storm in the Northern Hemisphere since 1950 was in 1973. Ava formed in the eastern North Pacific on June 2 that year,' he noted. Since 2003, there have been 15 tropical cyclones that have formed before June 1, according to the Pensacola News Journal. Of those, 11 formed in May. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from the beginning of June through November 30. This season may be less active than last year, which saw the destructive Hurricane Helene and Milton. June's Hurricane Beryl was the earliest Category 5 storm on record in the Atlantic. The first named storm of the 2025 season will be Andrea. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will release its forecast for the season on Thursday. Forecasters at AccuWeather say the first storm could happen before the official start of the season.
