First Alert Weather

Talking the Tropics With Mike: Large tropical wave over the Central Atlantic

Nears Caribbean by the weekend

Jacksonville, Fl. — The “Buresh Bottom Line”: Always be prepared!.....First Alert Hurricane Survival Guide... City of Jacksonville Preparedness Guide... Georgia Hurricane Guide.

STAY INFORMED: Get the * FREE * First Alert Weather app

FREE NEWS UPDATES, ALERTS: Action News Jax app for Apple | For Android

WATCH “Preparing for the Storm

WATCH “The Ins & Outs of Hurricane Season

READ the First Alert Hurricane Center “Survival Guide

LISTEN & WATCH “Surviving the Storm” - WOKV Radio & Action News Jax

***** ALWAYS CHECK & RE-CHECK THE LATEST FORECAST & UPDATES! *****

REMEMBER WHEN A TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE IS APPROACHING: Taping windows is *NOT* helpful & will not keep glass from breaking.

Realize the forecast cone (”cone of uncertainty”) is the average forecast error over a given time - out to 5 days - & *does not* indicate the width of the storm &/or damage that might occur.

** No tropical systems will directly impact Jacksonville/NE Fl./SE Ga. this week.... **

As for the current status of the Atlantic Basin:

There are several tropical waves over the E. & Central Atlantic to track. A lead wave is still producing a large area - albeit disorganized - of showers & t’storms over the Central Atlantic. The wave is moving slowly west/northwest & forecast models only show modest development, if any at all. Shear is fairly strong right now along with a pretty large area of dry mid & upper level air. An upper level low to the west is helping to induce shear as well so sustained significant development will be slow to occur. The wave should approach the Northeast Caribbean islands Fri. into Sat. by which time the wave could be a tropical depression or perhaps tropical storm. So a system to watch that might have some long term potential beyond the Northeast Caribbean next week.

Another wave is coming off the coast of Africa & moving westward with some potential for slow development.

There are indications by some of the long range forecast models of a - initially - nontropical low developing over the far Western Atlantic east of the Carolina’s that would then move northeast. Something to monitor toward the weekend.

September origins:

Averages below based on climatology for the Atlantic Basin through September. This season so far is well below avg.:

Wind shear:


Saharan dust spreads west each year from Africa by the prevailing winds (from east to west over the Atlantic). Dry air - yellow/orange/red/pink. Widespread dust is indicative of dry air that can impede the development of tropical cyclones. However, sometimes “wanna’ be” waves will just wait until they get to the other side of - or away from - the plume then try to develop if other conditions are favorable. In my personal opinion, way too much is made about the presence of Saharan dust & how it relates to tropical cyclones. In any case, we’ve had several large dust plumes spread west to the Caribbean & Gulf with the peak of Saharan dust typically in June & July.

2022 names..... “Fiona” is the next name on the Atlantic list (names are picked at random by the World Meteorological Organization... repeat every 6 years). Historic storms are retired [Florence & Michael in ’18... Dorian in ’19 & Laura, Eta & Iota in ‘20 & Ida in ‘21]). In fact, this year’s list of names is rather infamous with “Charley”, “Frances”, “Jeanne” & “Ivan” retired from the ‘04 list (all hit Fl.) & “Matthew” was retired in 2016. The WMO decided - beginning last year - that the Greek alphabet will be no longer used & instead there will be a supplemental list of names if the first list is exhausted (has only happened three times - 2005, 2020 & 2021). The naming of tropical cyclones began on a consistent basis in 1953. More on the history of naming tropical cyclones * here *.

East Atlantic:

Mid & upper level wind shear (enemy of tropical cyclones) analysis (CIMMS). The red lines indicate strong shear:

Water vapor imagery (dark blue indicates dry air):

Deep oceanic heat content over the Gulf, Caribbean & deep tropical Atlantic:

Sea surface temp. anomalies:

SE U.S. surface map:

Surface analysis centered on the tropical Atlantic:

Surface analysis of the Gulf:

Caribbean:

GFS wave forecast at 48 & 72 hours (2 & 3 days):

Atlantic Basin wave period forecast for 24, 48 & 72 hours respectively:

Updated Atlantic seasonal forecast from early Aug. - NOAA & CSU:

The East Pacific:

West Pacific:

Global tropical activity:


Typhoon “Muifa” over the W. Pacific is forecast to come ashore on the coast of China south of Shanghai by Wed./Thu. while weakening but still producing strong winds & heavy rain.

“Merbok” is forecast to stay over the open water of the W. Pacific turning northeast well to the east of mainland Japan:

Yet another developing typhoon is over the W. Pacific & is forecast to impact the Southern Japanese islands by Thu./Fri. & perhaps Southern Japan (main island) late in the weekend/early next week:


0