The Atlantic and Pacific are telling very different stories late in September.
The Atlantic and Pacific are telling very different stories late in September.
The Atlantic has one named storm and one area to monitor near the Cabo Verde Islands, while the eastern and central Pacific are tracking three named systems along with two additional areas that could develop in the days ahead.
Atlantic: Fay is no threat to land, but Invest 90-L bears watching
Tropical Storm Fay is spinning several hundred miles southwest of the Azores.
Fay has resurrected from the dead and regained tropical storm status, but it will dissipate rather quickly again over the next few days. (WPEC)The system recently strengthened from a tropical depression, but it remains far from the United States, Florida and the Caribbean.
Fay is forecast to stay over the open North Atlantic, with no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
Farther southeast, the National Hurricane Center is monitoring an area of low pressure, known as Invest 90-L, a few hundred miles south-southeast of the Cabo Verde Islands.
This tropical wave will bring heavy rain and gusty winds to Cape Verde as it moves to the northwest. (WPEC)The disturbance has a broad, disorganized area of showers and thunderstorms, but it could briefly become a tropical depression later today or Friday as it moves northwest to north.
Its development window may be short-lived.
Strong upper-level winds are expected to become unfavorable by the weekend.
The system has a medium, 60% chance of development over both the next two and seven days.
Tropical Storm Fay and Invest 90-L sit in the central and eastern Atlantic currently. (WPEC)The greater near-term concern is for the Cabo Verde Islands, where gusty winds, heavy rain and possible flash flooding could occur through Friday. There is no threat to the United States or South Florida.
Pacific: Three named systems, with more possible development
The eastern and central Pacific remain much busier.
Hurricane Polo is located just offshore of southwestern Mexico and remains the system with the greatest potential for land impacts.
Polo has regained Category 5 strength as it will turn back out to sea and steadily weaken before turning back towards Baja California. (WPEC)Heavy rain, rough surf and dangerous marine conditions are possible near parts of Mexico’s southwestern coast, even if Polo’s center stays offshore.
Hurricane Odalys is well west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.
Odalys will meander over open water for the next few days before fizzling out this weekend. (WPEC)It is expected to remain over open water and does not pose a direct threat to land at this time.
In the central Pacific, Tropical Storm Nolo is located a few hundred miles south of the Big Island of Hawaii. Interests in Hawaii should continue to follow updates on Nolo as it remains the closest named system to the islands.
Nolo will strengthen as it moves northward towards Hawaii. Landfall is not expected but heavy rains and gusty winds should make their way to the Big Island this weekend. (WPEC)The NHC is also watching two other Pacific areas.
The Pacific currently has 3 named storms and 2 other potential areas of development. (WPEC)Low pressure is expected to form south of the Gulf of Tehuantepec in a few days, with an 80% chance of becoming a tropical depression early next week as it moves roughly parallel to southern and southwestern Mexico.
A separate area of low pressure could form well east-southeast of Hawaii this weekend, but it has only a 20% chance of development during the next seven days.
For South Florida, none of the active systems or monitored areas pose a direct threat.
Still, the Pacific’s active stretch is a reminder that tropical activity can remain busy even as the Atlantic stays comparatively quiet.
The Pacific (eastern and central basins) has seen over 3 times as many named storms as the Atlantic has this year. (WPEC)