Archive: Tropical Weather
Dolly Makes Landfall in Texas; Winds Near 95 MPH
*Damage reports include uprooted trees, a toppled roof and downed power lines* Radar: Latest radar loop of Hurricane Dolly. Courtesy National Weather Service. Click on image to expand. Refresh page to update. Hurricane Dolly has made landfall along the southern Texas coast, and according to the National Hurricane Center is...
By Capital Weather Gang | July 23, 2008; 03:00 PM ET | Comments (9)
The Tropics are Hot
By Charlie Wilson, Guest Contributor The tropical Atlantic has heated up with two named storms and one that has the potential for development over the next several days. Projected track of Tropical Storm Cristobal. Click to enlarge. Courtesy National Hurricane Center. Close to home, at 5 p.m. EDT, Tropical Storm...
By Capital Weather Gang | July 21, 2008; 06:00 PM ET | Comments (0)
Bertha Back to Hurricane; 1,500 Rescues in O.C.
At 17 days and counting, Bertha is the longest-lived July named storm on record for the Atlantic Ocean (storms are named once they reach tropical storm status). Bertha attained tropical storm status (maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph) on July 3 and hurricane status (maximum sustained winds of...
By Dan Stillman | July 19, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (6)
It's a Thingamabobbercane
Radar image of the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin over Oklahoma on Aug. 19. 2007. Courtesy NOAA. In August 2007, Tropical Storm Erin gradually dissipated after making landfall in Texas. But a confluence of environmental factors, including abundant low-level moisture and an area of low pressure approaching from the west,...
By Steve Tracton | July 17, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (9)
Bertha's Been Here Before
Twelve years ago to the date, hurricane forecasters were tracking another Bertha, which formed roughly 1,000 miles west of this year's version. But Bertha '96, rather than hooking out to sea like Bertha '08, held a westerly course striking North Carolina before riding up the East Coast. Local author Rick...
By Jason Samenow | July 9, 2008; 01:00 PM ET | Comments (9)
Big Bertha: A Bad Omen?
Satellite image of Hurricane Bertha at sunrise and sunset yesterday. Bertha intensified from a category 1 storm (maximum winds of 75 mph) to category 3 storm (maximum winds of 115 mph) in 12 hours. Imagery courtesy NASA. After explosive development yesterday, Hurricane Bertha is struggling today. Its maximum winds have...
By Capital Weather Gang | July 8, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (28)
Bertha Beefing Up
5:00 p.m. update: Bertha is officially a major, category three hurricane. 3:00 p.m. update: The latest satellite imagery suggests Bertha has rapidly intensified today and is likely at least at category two intensity. Note the well-defined eye and symmetrical appearance. Hurricane Bertha over the tropical Atlantic (lower right). Image courtesy...
By Capital Weather Gang | July 7, 2008; 03:00 PM ET | Comments (28)
Dynamic Duo: Tropical Storms Arthur & Alma
Next up... Bertha All's quiet in the tropics after the season's first named storms, Tropical Storm Arthur in the Atlantic and Tropical Storm Alma in the Pacific, joined forces to produce unprecedented rainfall and disastrous floods in Belize at the beginning of the month, killing at least five people. The...
By Steve Tracton | June 13, 2008; 01:45 PM ET | Comments (4)
Remembering Agnes
By Charlie Wilson, Guest Writer Satellite image of Agnes hitting the Florida panhandle in 1972. Courtesy NOAA. So far, June has offered more than its share of extreme weather - mainly in the form of heat and severe thunderstorms. But we haven't experienced any tropical storm or hurricane activity. Could...
By Capital Weather Gang | June 11, 2008; 10:30 AM ET | Comments (5)
It's Hurricane Season
Severe thunderstorms had been capturing our attention and now it's the heat. Lost in all of this is the fact hurricane season is now one week old. Seasonal forecasters at Colorado State, NOAA, and AccuWeather are all predicting average to above average tropical activity (between 12 and 16 named storms,...
By Jason Samenow | June 7, 2008; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (7)
Gas Pains: A Perfect Storm?
Think gas prices are too high already? Friday morning CNBC reported on the likely impact of even the threat of a hurricane strike on energy prices (additional report, including a tour of Shell's real-time operations center here). After two seasons of few storm landfalls on the U.S. coast, traders have...
By Steve Scolnik | June 3, 2008; 10:30 AM ET | Comments (1)
Inside the Burma Cyclone
Satellite image of Tropical Cyclone Nargis prior to landfall in Myanmar (Burma). Courtesy NOAA As the number of dead and missing continue mounting in Burma, it's natural to wonder what kind of storm inflicted this horrible toll. The answer is simple: A hurricane, but by another name. "Tropical Cyclone" Nargis,...
By Jason Samenow | May 7, 2008; 09:24 AM ET | Comments (15)
Hurricane Conference Dispatch, Day 2
Day two of the Bahamas Weather Conference at the Lucaya Westin Resort on Grand Bahamas Island just wrapped up, and it was every bit as informative as day one. Just as Jason recapped the presentations and themes from Day One, I'll attempt to highlight some of the discussions that took...
By Jamie Jones | April 12, 2008; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (7)
Hurricane Conference Dispatch, First Session
With an infinity pool in the foreground and the Atlantic in the background, meteorologists participate in on-camera interviews on Grand Bahama Island. By Capital Weather Gang's Jason Samenow. Here on Grand Bahama Island, the site of the 12th annual Bahamas Weather Conference, skies are mostly sunny and seas are calm....
By Jason Samenow | April 11, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (3)
Busy 'Cane Season Forecast for Atlantic
Capital Weather Gang: Live From the Bahamas Colorado State University hurricane experts William Gray and Phil Klotzbach opened the 2008 Bahamas Weather Conference this morning by issuing their prediction for the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season. They expect an above-average season, which spans June 1 to Nov. 30, with 15 named...
By Capital Weather Gang | April 9, 2008; 11:30 AM ET | Comments (18)
Crashing 'Canes and New Chief
The Discovery Channel program "Smash Lab" will air a new episode all about hurricanes. The Smash Lab teams test whether a special type of carbon fiber used to reinforce tunnels can also be used to hurricane-proof homes. The episode will air tonight at 10pm, Sunday 1/27 at 10am, and Monday...
By Jason Samenow | January 26, 2008; 04:00 PM ET | Comments (1)
NOAA's NWS Near Naming New NHC Noggin?
The Orlando Sentinel reported today: "National Weather Service veteran Bill Read likely to be next hurricane chief." This promises to be the final chapter in one of the more unusual bureaucratic dramas in recent history. If named as the permanent director of the National Hurricane Center near Miami, Read would...
By Steve Scolnik | January 24, 2008; 07:35 PM ET | Comments (4)
