Aletta blasts off 2012 Hurricane Season, one day early

2012 Hurricane & Cyclone Season

Tropical Storm Aletta blasts off 2012 Hurricane Season, one day early

Outlooks  EPAC | Atlantic

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 15 May, 2012 : - - The eastern Pacific hurricane season begins today but the atmosphere jumped the gun by a day. A system roughly 640 miles south-southwest of Manznaillo, Mexico was a candidate for the 2012 season's first tropical cyclone in the eastern Pacific. Tropical Depression One-E, which formed on Monday has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Aletta. At 2:00 a.m. PDT, the system was located near 10.8 North and 108.7 West with sustained winds estimated near 40 mph.

Aletta is forecast to continue moving westward away from all land areas. Some modest strengthening may occur through Wednesday morning with weakening expected during the second half of the week. Tropical Storm Aletta should dissipate late in the week or over the weekend. Aletta becomes only the third classified tropical cyclone to form before the official start of the east Pacific season since 1971. Hurricane Alma formed on May 12, 1990 and Tropical Depression One-E formed on May 13, 1996. The east Pacific hurricane season begins May 15.

Current global sea temperatures and tropical cyclone activity

Satellite Imagery

• Storm Region Infrared(GOES 13; FNMOC)
• Storm Region Enhanced Infrared(GOES 13; FNMOC)
• Storm Region Visible(GOES 13; FNMOC)

• Storm-Centered Infrared(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Infrared (Aviation Color Enhancement)(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Water Vapor(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Visible(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Water Visible (Colorized)(MTSAT; NOAA/SSD)

• Tropical East Pacific Hurricane Sector Infrared(GOES 11; NOAA)
• Tropical East Pacific Hurricane Sector Water Vapor(GOES 11; NOAA)
• Tropical East Pacific Hurricane Sector Visible(GOES 11; NOAA)

While the Eastern Pacific has yielded the first tropical cyclone of the 2012 season, the Caribbean could wakwe up later this month. A broad area of low pressure is expected to form very slowly in the area around Central America and the western Caribbean. Tropical Weather Expert Dan Kottlowski says, "This is likely to end up like about a dozen or so systems during the season that do not reach tropical storm status."

Hurricane & Cyclone links:

2012 Hurricane Season Links
Tropical Analysis and Forecasting (NOAA)

NHC Forecasts & Warnings(NOAA)
NHC Latest Satellite Imagary (NOAA)

Central Pacific Hurricane Center (NOAA) 
Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC)

Source: NOAA / JTWC

Compiled by: SV Editors

Tags: Cyclones, Hurricanes, Aletta, Mexico,

Environment - Surfersvillage