97L Aims for the Eastern Caribbean

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DandyDon

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Doesn't look like a catastrophic threat, but some vacation and dive plans could be rained out - or more...

Posted by: JeffMasters, 3:55 PM GMT on July 19, 2009
The tropical wave near 12N 52W, about 600 miles east of the Lesser Antilles Islands (97 L), has grown more organized this morning as it tracks west at about 20 mph. This wave is surrounded by an area of very dry air from the Sahara Desert, but 97L has been able to steadily moisten a large region of the atmosphere over the past day, insulating itself from the dry air. This moistening process has been aided by sea surface temperatures (SSTs) that have steadily increased from 26.5°C to 27.5°C, plus the presence of only 10 knots of wind shear. The system now has a small area of intense thunderstorms near its center, with some rotation of the cloud pattern evident at mid-levels of the atmosphere. An upper-level outflow channel has opened to the north, and there is evidence that surface spiral bands are beginning to form. This morning's QuikSCAT pass missed 97L, so we don't know what is happening at the surface.

Wind shear is a modest 10 knots over the disturbance, and is forecast to remain in the moderate 10 - 15 knot range through Monday morning. This should allow further development to occur today, and 97L could be approaching tropical depression strength on Monday as it moves through the central Lesser Antilles Islands. Monday night, shear is expected to rise to 20 - 30 knots, thanks to the presence of a trough of low pressure at upper levels of the atmosphere over the eastern Caribbean. Since 97L is a relatively small system, it is very vulnerable to wind shear. This shear may be able to drive some of the dry air west of 97L deep into its interior, significantly disrupting the disturbance. Shear will remain high along 97L's path through Thursday, when the storm should be in the western Caribbean near Cuba. If there is anything left of 97L by then, some development is possible. The National Hurricane Center gave 97L a low (less than 30% chance) of developing into a tropical depression in the next 48 hours in their 8am Tropical Weather Outlook. However, I'd say the odds are now in the medium range (30 - 50%).

None of the computer models are forecasting tropical storm development over the next seven days.

Click to enlarge...
97L.gif
 
Hopefully it steers clear of Hispaniola.
 
Good thing we worked on our moorings yesterday. That rope was perfect.
 
Nah, it will more likely head straight for Texas.:thumb:


Really? Oh MY......I hope it stalls before it reaches me :nailbiter:
 
I'm not much of a weather geek so please explain.....will this screw us up in Cozumel this weekend or not?
Not at all likely. Click these pics to see where it is and where it's expected to go.

97L.jpg . 97L 2.gif
It starting losing power but is still likely to rain and blow on Hispaniola and Cuba - but not likely to get close to the Yuc-Pen.

From Dr. Masters...
A strong tropical wave (97L), now located just south of Puerto Rico, has grown disorganized today. Sustained winds as high as 26 mph were observed on Barbados, and 35 mph winds were observed on St. Lucia yesterday when 97L passed through the Lesser Antilles Islands. Wind gusts to 45 mph and heavy rain can be expected in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico this afternoon, and in Haiti and the southeastern Bahama Islands on Wednesday. However, 97L is under too much wind shear to develop, and shear will remain in the high 25 - 35 knot range over the disturbance over the next two days.
 
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