Weather News: We’re almost out of hurricane names – again!



[ad_1]

But the reality is, it’s not close enough yet – in fact, this year it’s not close at all.

“We still have two months left in what has been a very active season,” said National Hurricane Center meteorologist Dennis Feltgen. “While we wouldn’t expect to have as many named storms as in 2020, we are currently at 19 with the possibility of one or two more by the end of the week.”

If so, we finish all names on the current list and move on to the next list before the start of the month.

Wanda is the last name on the 2021 hurricane name list, which could be used by the end of the week.

After the record-breaking 2020 season, the World Meteorological Organization decided to remove the Greek alphabet as a list we would use if we ran out of hurricane names.

Instead, they decided to go for a whole new set of names, if the original list ran out.

We are well on our way to exploiting this list. If so, the first name after Wanda would be Adria. Then Braylen. Then Caridad and Deshawn and so on. See the full list at the bottom of the NHC page here.

This season has been busy, without a doubt. But how does that compare to the busiest season of all time?

We decided to compare where we are so far this year to where we were on September 27 of last year.

  • Number of named storms: 23 in 2020 vs 19 in 2021
  • Number of hurricanes: 8 in 2020 vs 7 in 2021
  • Number of named storms (tropical and hurricane) that made landfall in the United States: 8 in 2020 vs 8 in 2021
  • Number of hurricanes affected in the United States: 4 in 2020 vs 2 in 2021
If you just look at the numbers, it looks like 2020 has passed 2021 so far.

Around the same time last year, we were already in the Greek alphabet and we had four hurricanes that made landfall along the American coast.

Hanna and Isaias were both Category 1 storms, Sally was a Category 2 storm, and Laura was a Category 4 storm.

This year we had two hurricanes that made landfall along the US coast. Nicholas was a Category 1 storm and Ida was a Category 4 storm. The two Category 4 storms, Laura and Ida, made landfall along the Louisiana coast.

These are two Category 4 storms affecting the same state in consecutive years.

With more storms expected, the likelihood of a hurricane making landfall is quite plausible in the United States.

We still have about two months left in the season, and with the planned launch of La Niña, we might see a slight increase in October systems, just like we did last year.

October was a busy month last year. Four more hurricanes were produced in October, two of which made landfall in Louisiana.

Delta was a Category 2 storm that made landfall in Creole, Louisiana, very close to where Laura made landfall a few weeks earlier.

Zeta was a Category 3 storm that made landfall in Louisiana in October 2020 near Cocodrie.

It has been a devastating year for the state, followed by what happened this year with Ida. A state with one of the most vulnerable coastlines in the United States has been the hardest hit by tropical systems for the past two years in a row.

As October approaches, we could have a similar dynamic to that of 2020.

Typical areas of storm development in October.

La Niña is expected to develop in the coming weeks, making conditions more favorable for development in the Atlantic basin.

The moment of the installation of La Niña will be decisive. “We are currently in a La Niña watch. A lot will depend on its arrival,” says Feltgen.

So while it seems likely we’ll see more development in the coming weeks, the only unknown is how much, if any, will impact the US coast.

“Florida is particularly vulnerable in October, as a prominent development area is in the northwestern Caribbean Sea,” Feltgen said.

We usually see storms forming in October a little closer to home.

“As the season progresses into October, water temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean begin to cool and wind shear increases, so the majority of tropical activity moves out to sea. of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, where water temperatures are generally still very warm, “according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The tropics remain active with 4 systems to monitor

The four areas to watch in the Atlantic Basin this week.

Right now the tropics are very active, which is typical for this time of year.

We have Hurricane Sam, which was a major Category 4 hurricane at its peak this weekend. Sam weakened some of them but remains a major Category 3 hurricane. Fortunately Sam will stay at sea and have no impact on the United States.

Peter has “run out of steam” in southeast Bermuda, but could redevelop over the next few days as he becomes more organized. Peter will not be a threat to the United States either.

Two areas that we should be watching are much further apart.

Two waves off the coast of Africa each have an 80% chance of developing within the next five days. Both systems are moving west at around 10 mph.

It is still far too early to know if these will have an impact on the United States, but they are both worth watching.

If these two systems are named, one will be Victor and the other Wanda.

More fires could start because of the winds

A Chinook firefighting helicopter carries water to be dropped on the fire as the KNP complex blaze in Sequoia National Park continues to rage.

Rain has returned and temperatures are cooling down across much of the Pacific Northwest, helping firefighters on the ground tackle the Big Eight Fires ravaging Washington and Oregon.

In California, more than 10,000 firefighters are on the front lines, fighting 10 active wildfires.

According to Cal Fire, “Since the start of the year there have been 7,686 wildfires that have burned more than 2.4 million acres in California.”

Red flag warnings are currently in effect for parts of the Sierra Nevada in eastern California and western Nevada.

The winds will blow at 15-25 mph with gusts of 40-50 mph. The fire danger will remain critical for these areas until Tuesday.

“Fire containment has increased dramatically in recent weeks, but gusts of 40 to 50 mph can quickly spread fires again,” CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said.

Santa Ana winds will also increase for southern California. This could mean more fires for the southern part of the state.

“Obviously, with so many fires big and small across California, the last thing we’re going to need will be the gusts of wind that are expected to blow over the next few days,” Myers said.

“As the fall season begins, it’s important to remember that some of the biggest and most destructive forest fires happen during this time of year. Be prepared and don’t let your guard down, ”Cal Fire says.

Learn ways to avoid starting a wildfire here.
The summer of wildfires in the northern hemisphere caused record carbon emissions

The first full week of fall could feel anything but some

It’s the first full week of fall, but the traditional fall feel of crisp, chilly mornings with beautiful foliage on the trees may not be for everyone just yet.

Many states in the northeast and southeast enjoy a much-needed respite from the summer heat, with the vast majority of locations within just a few degrees of seasonal norms.

But when you travel west, especially in and around the Rocky Mountains, temperatures start to look more like summer than fall.

You might just want to put your Pumpkin Spice Latte on ice if you live in the West.

La Palma volcano continues to erupt

Check out these stunning images of the volcano on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma.

The Cumbre Vieja volcano has been erupting for a week and threatens entire cities. The volcano erupted on September 19 and forced thousands of people to flee the lava flows.

The volcano is expected to continue to erupt over the next few days.

Huge waves crash along Lake Michigan

Despite warnings from the National Weather Service, giant waves crash into runners along Lake Michigan.

[ad_2]

Source link