Two Tropical Storm Systems May Brew This Week in the Atlantic

According to AccuWeather.com, there are two weather systems heading for southeastern US this week. The first is the growing tropical system that is already dropping buckets of rain on part of the northeastern Caribbean, that may turn into a tropical depression or even a storm, later this week. The second system Accuweather are monitoring is near Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

Almost two weeks ago, the threat of multiple hurricanes were predicted in September

As has been described in previous stories, there are a number of environmental factors that can either create or suppress storms.

Accuweather’s Hurricane Expert, Dan Kottlowski, says “If either of the two systems can avoid land, dry air and disruptive winds, they could become the next tropical storms within a few days.”

If these two weather systems turn into Atlantic Basin tropical cyclones, they will be named Gabrielle and Humberto.

The Northeastern Caribbean Weather System

No matter whether the northeastern Caribbean weather system turns into a cyclone or not, there is a risk of flash flooding and mudslides all the way from the Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico and Hispaniola from now until the end of this week.

Accuweather’s report on this system says:

On Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013, the system was located a couple of hundred miles southeast of Puerto Rico and was beginning to cluster thunderstorms near its center.

The area from the Windward and Leeward islands to the British and U.S. Virgin islands has been subject to locally heavy showers and gusty thunderstorms since the start of the week.

“U.S Air Force reconnaissance C130 aircraft will fly into the system later Wednesday to see if indeed the system has become a tropical cyclone,” Kottlowski said.

The system is forecast to drift in a general west to northwesterly direction the next several days and could begin to affect the Turks and Caicos, and the southern part of the Bahamas this weekend.

“Mountainous terrain of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola is likely to interfere with the circulation of the system and slow development through Saturday,” Kottlowski stated.

The same rugged terrain will enhance the rainfall and the threat of flash flooding and mudslides. Some areas could receive a half a foot of rain from the slow-moving system.

Depending on the strength of the system, there is the potential for building seas and surf in the region. However, even in a poorly organized system, there can be locally gusty squalls, which are a hazard for small craft.

Indications are that during next week, disruptive westerly winds in the atmosphere may minimize further development.

These same winds could keep the center of the system from reaching the United States mainland.

caribbean storm hispaniola
A Caribbean storm currently drenching the islands is likely to cause floods and high winds

As this weather system passes over land and other factors come into play, its intensity may fall, but anyone near the expected path of this system should monitor its progress, because it may also intensify.

The Yucatan Peninsula Weather System

conditions for yucatan storm
Yucatan Peninsula storm may form a tropical cyclone later this week.

On Wednesday, the weather system near the Yucatan Peninsula was drifting slowly towards the west across north eastern Mexico.

Accuweather’s Kottlowski said, “As this system drifts over the warm waters of the southwestern part of the Gulf of Mexico late this week it will have a chance to become better organized.”

Over the next few days, the Yucutan Peninsula can expect “drenching showers and locally gusty thunderstorms,” according to Accuweather.

The Accuweather report says:

The Yucatan system will then drift into the Mexico mainland this weekend and may not have enough time to get very strong before doing so. However, even a disturbance, depression or storm would still bring the potential for torrential rain, flooding and mudslides. Veracruz, Mexico, was hit hard by Tropical Storm Fernand during late August.

Thanks to information from Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist at AccuWeather.com, for sending the graphics and weather report.

Alan Gray is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of NewsBlaze Daily News and other online newspapers. He prefers to edit, rather than write, but sometimes an issue rears it’s head and makes him start hammering away on the keyboard.

Content Expertise

Alan has been on the internet since it first started. He loves to use his expertise in content and digital marketing to help businesses grow, through managed content services. After living in the United States for 15 years, he is now in South Australia. To learn more about how Alan can help you with content marketing and managed content services, contact him by email.

Technical Expertise

Alan is also a techie. His father was a British soldier in the 4th Indian Division in WWII, with Sikhs and Gurkhas. He was a sergeant in signals and after that, he was a printer who typeset magazines and books on his linotype machine. Those skills were passed on to Alan and his brothers, who all worked for Telecom Australia, on more advanced signals (communications). After studying electronics, communications, and computing at college, and building and repairing all kinds of electronics, Alan switched to programming and team building and management.

He has a fascination with shooting video footage and video editing, so watch out if he points his Canon 7d in your direction.