Not a trace of Don; What's next?
Don is dead
Tropical Storm Don, the fourth named storm of the 2011 season, made landfall near Baffin Bay, Texas yesterday evening around 10pm CDT in less-than-grand fashion. The storm was looking very weak for the 24 hours before landfall, but fizzled rapidly after landfall, and by early Saturday morning, there was barely a trace of the storm to show that it even existed in the first place.
NHC Hurricane Specialist Eric Blake probably said it best in this mornings 5am EDT discussion on the storm:
THE DON IS DEAD. THE CYCLONE LITERALLY EVAPORATED OVER TEXAS ABOUT
AS FAST AS I HAVE EVER SEEN WITHOUT MOUNTAINS INVOLVED. DON HAS NO
CONVECTION...MEAGER RAINFALL...AND ONLY A SLIGHT SIGNATURE IN
SURFACE OBSERVATIONS AND RADAR DATA. THEREFORE...THIS IS THE LAST
ADVISORY ON THIS SYSTEM.
Figure 1. Total precipitation accumulation for the storm, estimated by radar.
The heaviest rainfall was falling south of the storm's center yesterday, so it wasn't surprising that Brownsville saw the most rain, 0.63 inches. KBRO also recorded 18 mph wind gusts. But to the north of the center, where many of the media were located, not a drop of rain fell. Corpus Christi saw zero inches of rain, but did record gale-force wind gusts (39 mph). Harlingen, near Baffin Bay, and close to where the center made landfall, saw 0.20 inches of rain and 18 mph wind gusts. This storm did very, very little to relieve any drought conditions in Southern Texas. And so it continues.
What's next: Invest 91L continues to impress
Invest 91L, which is located near 12°N 48°W in the central Atlantic, continues to impress today, and has shown signs of more organization over the past 24 hours. 91L will probably develop into a tropical cyclone before it reaches the Lesser Antilles, so residents of these islands should remain watchful and prepared. Satellite loops show not only organized thunderstorm activity, but also the makings of a surface circulation. Something this wave has working against it right now is dry air—there's a large mass of Saharan air on the north and east sides of the system, which could at least prevent significant intensification. Also, University of Wisconsin CIMSS analysis shows some strong wind shear (30-40 knots) to the north of the wave. However, I don't expect this to prevent development of the wave. Wind shear out ahead of the system is relatively low (5-15 knots). Moisture is plenty high within the system, and sea surface temperatures are warm and toasty (28°C+) and will only get warmer as 91L moves west into the Caribbean.
Figure 2. Infrared satellite of invest 91L taken at 1:15pm EDT today.
Forecast for 91L
Most of the reliable forecast models (GFS, CMC, FIM, and the ECMWF) have come to agree that 91L will develop, however, they differ on how long-lived that will be. Some of the models are suggesting it will be a short-lived tropical cyclone, not making it out of the Caribbean alive, and some suggest that it will hold together and intensify as it moves north of the Caribbean islands. The forecast track for the system will most likely be to the northwest through the Caribbean, at which point it will take a northeast turn near the Bahamas, never reaching the U.S. coast. HWRF agrees with this track (and also brings the system to category 2 strength by August 3rd). However, there is still some uncertainty that the system could track west, south of the Caribbean islands, and potentially into the Gulf of Mexico. However, none of the models that suggest this solution actually show that the wave will be a tropical cyclone at that point.
The National Hurricane Center is giving this wave an 80% chance of developing into at least Tropical Depression Five over the next 48 hours. Chances are we will see Emily out of this system. A Hurricane Hunter mission is scheduled for tomorrow at 2pm EDT, but I wouldn't be totally surprised to see them call this system this evening, given the threat to the Lesser Antilles.
Watching a northwest Caribbean disturbance
A broad area of disturbed weather is producing some heavy thunderstorms in the northwest Caribbean, southeast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Little to no low-level circulation exists with this feature, and none of the models are picking up on it. The Hurricane Center has "blobbed" this item (as I like to say) with a "near 0%" chance of developing over the next 48 hours. This disturbance could cause major flooding in the region given the amount of thunderstorm activity, and predictability for systems like this (potential Bay of Cempeche tropical cyclones) is very low. Models have a short lead time on development, and they spin up very fast once they enter the Bay of Campeche given the favorable topography of the land surrounding it. The difference between this system, though, and one like Arlene, is that there is very, very little low level circulation already present. Pre-Arlene was a bit more organized before it crossed the Yucatan, and so it's hard to imagine that this disturbance will be able to hold together, should it get that far.
If 91L develops, I'll be back tomorrow with a post.
Angela
Reader Comments
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Stalled right by the Bahamas. Oh boy, here we go...
Ohhh man, that would be horrible... best hope this changes fast.
I really don't think ANYONE along the east is in the clear yet.
Remember, New England, even inland can get hit very hard. It's small and not very wide so it's not hard for a hurricane to bring hurricane force winds even into Northern New England no matter what direction it hits the region from.
And what helps to aid in bad New England hurricanes is the fact they speed up as they are heading here so less time for them to weaken over the cold waters and even on land.
Except the storm would come from the southeast... and perhaps the same intensity. Waters at my local beach are a cool 32.5C. Nothing too bad in the Bahamas.
No eye. At least not in the visible or infrared spectrum.
NHC should call them Emily and Emilette?
For real??
The twin pair with 91L has me worried. My best guess is that one area strengthens into the storm and sucks the sibling up. However, be weary because one might slow down or curve and then we might get two systems. I have stated that the "What If" is there for one end to go northward and the other westward. That would be very interesting.
edit: AF Reserve Hurricane Hunters
People have been fawning over the computer models all week. did the models see Wave Axis running out in front of 91L comming? This has to complicate things a little bit. If the front end of the 91L train were to dip under Puerto Rico & Hispaniola with the back end going further North then we could end up with two systems. If they stay too close then the larger system will shear the small system apart or eat it.
EDIT: Although later in the run, the ridge could push it into the East Coast, but that's probably unlikely.
The pressure isn't really what we need to look for, its the track. And this is a horrible track! It stalls next to Puerto Rico, then stalls in the Bahamas!
I see the state of Georgia has once again deployed its patented Low-Pressure Tropical Shield.
"Protecting the Georgia Coast since 1979."
Yep :(
The ridging could set it up for trouble in the NE, especially if it comes that close to Florida before re-curving.
the other is a path north of hispanola then one of two pulls form its notheast
sends it north then ne at around 75 west
Look at the struggle between 91L and the Azores high..who will win?
At 204 hours it's moving due NE. What's interesting is how huge the trough is that picks it up at the last second. Will be interesting to see if that materializes.
Bye-Bye!
nah. Andrew didn't come close to the Leeward Islands.
This is Don's forecast ... at this stage of the game, and he went West, then poof!
but not be for doing a lot of damg
next run will have an east coast rider..watch..
Careful. Instead, it could go due north.
If this was the GFS, then yeah I would agree with you but this is the NOGAPS..good on intializing storms, not tracking them
Emily maybe Tracking something similar to this. Not exact location or track. Just feeling the trough to the north but the ridge building back in and taking it farther west. Just my opinion
Next one will feature an East Coast hit.
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