Atlantic: Record Breaking Year for Tropical Systems

It’s a record breaking year for tropical systems as at least seven tropical systems were building up in the Atlantic on Monday. Now at the peak of hurricane season the North Atlantic basin is getting crowded.

Published 4 years ago

Image from https://www.noaa.gov/

For only the second time on record at least five tropical cyclones were whirling around the North Atlantic on Monday. The last time this occurred was in September 1971 with just six.

So far in 2020 there have been 20 named storms in the Atlantic. By the first week in September the USA had already seen three hurricanes come ashore, including the Cat 4 Laura that did so much damage in Lake Charles, LA.

Weather models predict that the East and Central Atlantic should see less activity over the coming week, with systems developing more predominantly in the West Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean.

Hurricane Paulette

Now with maximum sustained winds of 85 knots and moving ENE, Paulette mowed over Bermuda early Monday bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall. Maximum sustained winds to 95 mph were listed by the National Hurricane Center. Paulette’s predicted path is to remain offshore in the north west Atlantic and weaken over the coming weekend.

Hurricane Sally

Now in the NE Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Sally is strengthening as it reaches the Mississippi and Alabama coastlines and the Florida Panhandle. Life-threatening flash flooding and storm surge are expected with maximum sustained winds of 105MPH. Sally is moving NNE and has slowed down to just 2MPH. Rapid weakening is expected once landfall occurs.

Due to the approach of Hurricane Sally into the area from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, SSCA HF Radio Service KPK will be guarding Single Sideband radio frequency 8.104 for vessels not having an amateur radio license. All vessels are welcome, and KPK is able to conduct phone patches in the event cell towers are down due to Hurricane Sally.
The Hurricane Watch Net, an Amateur Radio Net, has activated on amateur frequencies 7.268 LSB and 14.325 throughout the storm. In an emergency situation, all vessels are reminded you are permitted to transmit on any frequency including Amateur frequencies and nets such as 14.300, the Maritime Mobile Service Net, and 7.268 and 14.325, the Hurricane Watch Net.

Hurricane Teddy

On Monday Teddy was a tropical storm mid-Atlantic, however, it has rapidly intensified into a 90MPH hurricane as of today. Still well offshore the eye of Hurricane Teddy was located
near latitude 15.5 North, longitude 48.7 West this morning. Teddy is moving NW at close to 10 mph and NOAA predict that this path will continue into the weekend and remain well NE
of the Lesser Antilles. Teddy could become a major hurricane later today or Thursday. Large swells generated by Teddy are expected to reach the Lesser Antilles and the northeastern coast of South America today and should spread westward to the Greater Antilles, the
Bahamas, and Bermuda by Friday. 

Tropical Storm Vicky

TS Vicky formed Monday morning NW of the Cape Verdes. Maximum sustained winds are near 50MPH with higher gusts, however Vicky is not predicted to develop into anything bigger and is expected to circulate in the Eastern Atlantic and weaken by Thursday.

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  1. September 17, 2020 at 10:25 PM
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    sue-richards says:

    11 AM AST Hurricane #Teddy key messages. #Teddy has strengthened into a major hurricane, and interests in Bermuda should monitor forecast updates as the risk of impacts is increasing. More: http://hurricanes.gov

  2. September 17, 2020 at 8:50 PM
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    sue-richards says:

    An official for an Alabama county just east of Mobile Bay says the county has sustained “tremendous damage” from Hurricane Sally – see https://thepublicsradio.org/article/the-latest-tremendous-damage-to-one-county-from-sally for details.