Two storms active : Tropical Cyclone Marine Graphic courtesy of NHC 

Click image to enlarge :: Latest Tropical Weather Outlook courtesy of NHC 

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Tropical Storm Hanna Eyes The Carolina Coast; Hurricane Ike Now a Category 3 Storm

Tropical Storm Hanna

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 September, 2008 : - - As of 03h00 GMT/UHT Sunday, Tropical Storm Hanna was located near 40.5 north, 73.4 west, or about 135 miles southwest of Providence, R.I. Hanna's maximum-sustained winds remain near 55 mph with the tropical storm-force winds mainly confined to the east of the center of circulation. Hanna's central pressure is at 992 mb, or 29.29 inches, and the storm continues to pick up speed to the northeast at 30 mph. Given such a rapid forward motion, winds associated with Hanna are not expected to decrease too rapidly and tropical-storm conditions are forecast for the entire Northeast coast.

Tropical storm warnings have been discontinued from Sandy Hook, N.J., southward, but continue northeastward to Merrimack River, Mass.; including New York Harbor, Long Island Sound, Block Island, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.

Hanna made landfall Saturday morning at 3:20 a.m. near the North Carolina/South Carolina border as a strong tropical storm, but there is little difference in the effects from a strong tropical storm and a low-end Category 1 hurricane. Swells from Hanna will cause rough surf and rip currents along the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coast tonight into Sunday.

North Atlantic infrared satellite - Click image to enlarge

Current thinking is that Hanna will continue to accelerate tonight as she tracks into and through southeastern New England. Areas within 100 miles of either side of the storm's path will experience 2-4 inches of rain with some isolated 5-to 6-inch totals. The highest rainfall totals will be along and to the west of Hanna's track. Tropical storm-force winds of 40-60 mph will impact parts of eastern Long Island through southeastern New England. The strongest wind gusts, over 60 mph, will occur right along the coast. Isolated tornadoes are also possible to the north and east of the storm center.

Satellite Imagery

• Storm-Centered Infrared(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Infrared (Aviation Color Enhancement)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Water Vapor(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Visible(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Water Visible (Colorized)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)

• Eastern U.S./West Atlantic Infrared(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Eastern U.S./West Atlantic Infrared (Aviation Color Enhancement)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Eastern U.S./West Atlantic Water Vapor(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Eastern U.S./West Atlantic Visible(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Eastern U.S./West Atlantic Visible (Colorized)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)

Satellite Animations

• Storm-Centered Infrared(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Infrared (Aviation Color Enhancement)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Water Vapor(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Visible(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Visible (Colorized)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)

• Eastern U.S./West Atlantic Infrared(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Eastern U.S./West Atlantic Infrared (Aviation Color Enhancement)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Eastern U.S./West Atlantic Water Vapor(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Eastern U.S./West Atlantic Visible(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Eastern U.S./West Atlantic Visible (Colorized)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)

Click image to enlarge :: Latest Tropical Weather Outlook courtesy of NHC

 
Hurricane Ike 

At 03h00 GMT/UHT Sunday, Ike was near 21.2 north and 70.9 west, very close to the Turks and Caicos. Maximum-sustained winds remain near 135 mph with higher gusts, making Ike a powerful Category 4 hurricane. The estimated central pressure remains 947 mb, or 27.96 inches. The hurricane is moving west-southwest at 15 mph. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles and tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 140 miles.

A hurricane warning remains in effect for the Turks and Caicos islands and both the central and southeastern Bahamas, as well as portions of eastern Cuba. This includes the provinces of Guantanamo, Holguin, Las Tunas, Santiago De Cuba, Granma, and Camaguey. A hurricane watch is in effect for the provinces of Camaguey, Ciego De Avila and Sancti Spiritus in eastern Cuba. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for the northern coast of the Dominican Republic and Haiti from Cabo Frances Viejo, Dominican Republic, westward to Gonaives, Haiti.

Ike strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane status Saturday afternoon as it moved west-southwest. Some further strengthening is possible over the next day or so as Ike encounters less wind shear and some warmer water. This may allow Ike to become a strong Category 4 or even a Category 5 hurricane before affecting Cuba later Sunday or Sunday night. The initial thought was that Ike would move over water stirred up from Hanna, but now it appears that it will move south of those waters. A west-southwest track is forecast over the next few days with a gradual turn to the west.

Ike will track through the central Bahamas during the day Sunday. The track of Ike has become a little more clear, at least, with a general consensus taking Ike through the Bahamas and into the Gulf of Mexico. There is still some chance that Ike could impact the Florida Peninsula on Monday night, but as of now Ike looks to pass close to or over the Florida Keys. Given this track, Ike will also pass very close to the north coast of Cuba. Because of this, all interests in the Bahamas, Florida and the eastern Gulf Coast states should keep up with the latest information on Ike.

Satellite Imagery

• Storm-Centered Infrared(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Infrared (Aviation Color Enhancement)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Water Vapor(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Visible(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Water Visible (Colorized)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)

• Central Atlantic Infrared(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Central Atlantic Infrared (Aviation Color Enhancement)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Central Atlantic Water Vapor(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Central Atlantic Visible(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Central Atlantic Visible (Colorized)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)

Satellite Animations

• Storm-Centered Infrared(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Infrared (Aviation Color Enhancement)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Water Vapor(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Visible(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Storm-Centered Visible (Colorized)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Central Atlantic Infrared(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Central Atlantic Infrared (Aviation Color Enhancement)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Central Atlantic Water Vapor(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Central Atlantic Visible(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)
• Central Atlantic Visible (Colorized)(GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)

Current Atlantic Surface Weather Analysis (tropical waves) : Click image to enlarge

Elsewhere, a tropical wave along 25 west, south of 19 north, has a cyclonic circulation north of 14 north and some showers. The leading edge of these showers is affecting the southern Cape Verde Islands. A tropical wave along 55 west is moving west at 6 degrees longitude per day. There is a large strung out area of showers and thunderstorms along to the east of this tropical wave. However, we see no signs of a lower level feature organizing at this time. This system is closing in on the south and southeast inflow of Ike and this will put too much shear over the system for any important development.

Current global sea temperatures and tropical cyclone activity 

Click image to enlarge :: Latest Tropical Weather Outlook courtesy of NHC

Eastern Pacific : Tropical Storm Lowell Forms

Some vigorous showers and thunderstorms associated with an area of low pressure just off the coast of Mexico, near 15.7 north and 106.4 west, has developed into Tropical Storm Lowell this evening as of 8:00 p.m., PDT. Lowell is located approximately 265 miles south-southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph with higher gusts. Tropical storm-force winds extend up to 60 miles from the center, and the central pressure is estimated around 1000 mb, or 29.53 inches. 

The storm is moving to the west-northwest at around 11 mph and is expected to continue on this track over the next several days. Lowell could strengthen into a hurricane by early next week as it moves away from the coast of Mexico. The storm could bring up to 2 to 4 inches of rain to the mountainous terrain of southwestern Mexico through Sunday.