Tracking the Tropics: Invest 94L likely to become Imelda by weekend
The western Atlantic is becoming more active as a new named storm forms and a second is expected to form by the weekend. Here’s what you need to know about the tropics:Hurricane Gabrielle:Gabrielle is still a hurricane and is expected to affect the Azores islands by Friday morning. Hurricane warnings are in effect for the Portugal island chain. Since 1850, there have only been 15 documented cases of a hurricane passing within 50 miles of the islands. It is possible Portugal could see Gabrielle make landfall by the end of the weekend as a tropical storm.Tropical Storm Humberto:Humberto formed northeast of the ABC Islands Wednesday and is expected to become the third hurricane of the season and potentially the third major hurricane of the year. The storm will parallel the Bahamian island chain by early next week before following the Bermuda high pressure and curving north. This will parallel the storm with the east coast before being slingshot out to sea.Invest 94L:Invest 94L is expected to become Imelda by the weekend. While confidence is high that this storm will become Imelda, the strength of the storm is still to be determined. Most models highlight a tropical storm while a few outliers intensify the storm to hurricane status. The disorganized cluster of storms is impacting the northern Caribbean islands before curving northwest toward the Bahamas. This storm will need to be carefully monitored as several scenarios are possible.Scenario 1 includes an interaction with a stalled boundary off the Carolina coasts. This could help keep the system just off to sea. Rough seas, rip currents and potentially gusty winds and rain could affect the eastern coastline.Scenario 2 includes an interaction with Humberto. This is called the Fujiwhara Effect. If Humberto and 94L are close enough, Humberto could either absorb 94L’s energy or help swing the system out to sea with it.Scenario 3 includes a direct landfall. This could happen if the stalled boundary breaks down as 94L makes a turn north and before Humberto can catch up with it. This could cause a potential landfall between the Georgia and South Carolina coastlines. Like scenario 1, rip currents and potentially gusty winds and rain could affect other parts of the east coast.How this affects Mississippi:With both storms being in the Atlantic basin, it is not expected for either storm to directly affect Mississippi. If 94L, or what will be Imelda, does make a landfall over the Carolinas, cooler and drier air on the western side of the storm could move into the state. This could keep temperatures seasonal and dewpoints comfy.
The western Atlantic is becoming more active as a new named storm forms and a second is expected to form by the weekend. Here’s what you need to know about the tropics:
Hurricane Gabrielle:
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Gabrielle is still a hurricane and is expected to affect the Azores islands by Friday morning. Hurricane warnings are in effect for the Portugal island chain. Since 1850, there have only been 15 documented cases of a hurricane passing within 50 miles of the islands. It is possible Portugal could see Gabrielle make landfall by the end of the weekend as a tropical storm.
Tropical Storm Humberto:
Humberto formed northeast of the ABC Islands Wednesday and is expected to become the third hurricane of the season and potentially the third major hurricane of the year. The storm will parallel the Bahamian island chain by early next week before following the Bermuda high pressure and curving north. This will parallel the storm with the east coast before being slingshot out to sea.
Invest 94L:
Invest 94L is expected to become Imelda by the weekend. While confidence is high that this storm will become Imelda, the strength of the storm is still to be determined. Most models highlight a tropical storm while a few outliers intensify the storm to hurricane status.
The disorganized cluster of storms is impacting the northern Caribbean islands before curving northwest toward the Bahamas. This storm will need to be carefully monitored as several scenarios are possible.
Scenario 1 includes an interaction with a stalled boundary off the Carolina coasts. This could help keep the system just off to sea. Rough seas, rip currents and potentially gusty winds and rain could affect the eastern coastline.
Scenario 2 includes an interaction with Humberto. This is called the Fujiwhara Effect. If Humberto and 94L are close enough, Humberto could either absorb 94L’s energy or help swing the system out to sea with it.
Scenario 3 includes a direct landfall. This could happen if the stalled boundary breaks down as 94L makes a turn north and before Humberto can catch up with it. This could cause a potential landfall between the Georgia and South Carolina coastlines. Like scenario 1, rip currents and potentially gusty winds and rain could affect other parts of the east coast.
How this affects Mississippi:
With both storms being in the Atlantic basin, it is not expected for either storm to directly affect Mississippi. If 94L, or what will be Imelda, does make a landfall over the Carolinas, cooler and drier air on the western side of the storm could move into the state. This could keep temperatures seasonal and dewpoints comfy.