Weather: the hurricane season is accelerating

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“It’s certainly not unusual,” said Dennis Feltgen, public affairs manager at the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

“We usually see a surge in June followed by a slight lull in July. Large amounts of Saharan dust have been a factor. But it is now mid-August, when water temperatures have warmed in the region. ‘tropical Atlantic Ocean and there’s a parade of unrest rolling off the African coast every three or four days,’ Feltgen said.

As the parade lines up, Fred is on the front line. A storm that has struggled to survive, Fred tries to breathe new life into the ninth round.

“The radar presentation shows that Fred is much more organized this morning and certainly in these warm Gulf waters it will intensify further before it lands,” CNN meteorologist Chad Myers said. “Hurricane-force winds tonight are a very real possibility. Prepare for a stronger than expected storm.”

Tropical storm Fred will make landfall along the Florida Panhandle on Monday, bringing in up to a foot of rain, gusts of wind, tornadoes and storm surges.

Fred will be quickly followed by Tropical Depression Grace and Tropical Depression Eight as the tropics warm, just before the peak of hurricane season.

“The strength of storms and their destination depend on the environment around them,” said Feltgen. “A mix of competing ocean and weather conditions generally favors above-average activity for the remainder of the Atlantic hurricane season, including the potential return of La Nina in the coming months.”
La Nina generally means a more active season for the Atlantic Basin, and forecasters expect La Nina to return this fall, if not sooner.

Another factor is the warm ocean water. “We are approaching the warmest water temperatures of the season, and the northern Gulf of Mexico is two to three degrees above normal at the moment. Any storm in these warm waters can intensify quickly. “Myers said.

All of these factors point to an active season. “We’re coming out of the record-breaking 2020 season, when almost every mile of the US Gulf Coast and US East Coast was under watch or warning during that season,” Feltgen said.

With more than half of the 2021 hurricane season ahead, people are urged not to become complacent.

The latest news on Fred, Grace and Tropical Depression 8

Fred has garnered most of the tropical attention this week, but we can’t lose sight of Grace, who is right on her heels and has the potential to be a stronger storm.

MORE ABOUT FRED

Most models predict that Grace will take a route further south, through earthquake-ravaged Hispaniola, stay south of Cuba and cross the Yucatan Peninsula.

Once Grace reappears in the southern Gulf of Mexico, there may be further reinforcement.

Most models pick up this storm in South Texas or Mexico by the weekend.

“The evolution of Grace’s predicted path has major implications for the future intensity of the cyclone,” said the NHC.

Thanks to potentially remaining in southern Cuba, this could lead to further reinforcement; However, uncertainty remains somewhat high about Grace’s strength.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GRACE’S POTENTIAL

  • Read the latest
  • Watch the latest forecast

The third system to watch is Tropical Depression Eight, which could become Henri later on Monday. This storm is expected to stay offshore.

Grace’s impact on cities devastated by the earthquake

A house destroyed by Saturday's 7.2 earthquake that hit Haiti.
Search and rescue efforts in Haiti are against the clock, as Tropical Depression Grace passes through the devastated region on Monday.

Conditions will deteriorate during the day, with heavy rains being the main threat to Haiti.

Grace currently has winds of 35 mph, with stronger gusts. The storm is expected to slowly start to strengthen by Tuesday, and possibly regain its tropical storm strength.

“Over Haiti and the Dominican Republic, 5 to 10 inches of rain with maximum isolated totals of 15 inches are expected over southern land areas through Tuesday. This heavy rainfall can lead to sudden and urban flooding and possible mudslides, ”the NHC said. .

This could have a huge impact on ongoing search and rescue efforts in Haiti after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake rocked the region. About 1,300 people died and more than 5,700 injured.

FOLLOWING:

This video shows the aftermath of the earthquake
What are the biggest threats to Haiti after the earthquake?

July was the hottest month on record

Global temperature in July was the highest of any July in the 142-year record, according to data released by the National Environmental Information Centers.

Since July is normally the hottest month of the year for the world, this made the last month the hottest in about 1,700 months since 1880.

“In this case, the first place is the worst place to be,” said National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration chief Rick Spinrad. “July is generally the hottest month in the world of the year, but July 2021 surpassed itself as July and the hottest months on record.

This new record adds to the worrying and disruptive trajectory that climate change has charted for the world.

All of this only exacerbates the drought and fire conditions in the west. Currently, 98% of the West is in drought, 64% of which is in an extreme or exceptional situation.

“Fires in the western half of the contiguous states (including Colorado and Wyoming) have burned, on average, 30 square miles of total area each day since early June – an area approaching half the size of Washington, DC.” , NOAA said.

Before / after photos show a city reduced to ashes

These before-and-after photos show the city of Greenville, Calif., Before and after the Dixie fire.

Most of the city was destroyed as a wildfire raged on August 4.

Learn more about the Dixie Fire:

“We lost Greenville”: Dixie Fire wipes out much of Northern California community
Dixie Fire frontline firefighters unsure if their own homes are still standing

Weather in brief

Flash floods along Turkey’s Black Sea coast have left nearly 60 dead. The floods swept through towns and villages, forcing many people to evacuate.

Turkey has also battled relentless forest fires amid record heat.

119.8

Italian officials say the island of Sicily may have set a historic heat record for Europe, reaching a temperature of 48.8 degrees Celsius (119.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

Farewell thought

You’ve made it this far, so let’s change gears. Enjoy this cool read …

In the midst of record heat waves, this weather station keeps its freshness.
The summit of Mount Washington with the weather observatory in the background.

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