TD 3 growing more organized
Tropical Depression Three is steadily organizing, and appears poised to become a much stronger storm than was forecast. Water vapor satellite loops show that the upper level low to the west of TD 3 that has been bringing high levels of wind shear to the storm is now moving faster to the west than predicted. This faster motion has resulted in a reduction in wind shear over TD 3, to a moderate 10 knots. Satellite images of TD 3 show that the storm is taking advantage of the lower shear by developing several low-level spiral bands to the north and east of the center. However, the center of circulation is still exposed to view, and dry air is still getting injected into the core of the storm from the southwest. The storm's heavy thunderstorms have not increased in intensity this afternoon, and the amount of heavy thunderstorm activity near the core of the storm is still limited. TD 3 will need to build more intense thunderstorms near its center before significant intensification can occur. TD 3 is a small storm, and surface observations in the Bahamas do not show the circulation very well. An outer rain band of TD 3 is now visible on Miami long-range radar, and a flood watch has been issued for all of South Florida. The Hurricane Hunters are in the storm at present, and have found top surface winds of 35 - 40 mph.
Figure 1. Afternoon satellite image of TD 3.
Track Forecast for TD 3
The storm is in a straightforward steering current environment, and TD 3 should progress steadily to the west-northwest through Sunday. This will bring the storm ashore over the Florida Keys or South Florida on Friday, and into the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday. The latest set of model runs from 8am EDT (12Z) foresee a track more to the north than the previous set of model runs. This increases the threat to the oil spill region, and I give a 40% chance that the oil spill region will see tropical storm force winds of 39 mph or higher this weekend. Oil recovery and relief well drilling operations should cease. If TD 3 makes a direct hit on the oil spill region as a tropical storm with 50 - 60 mph winds, it will likely drive a storm surge of 3 - 6 feet with high waves on top into the Louisiana marshlands, fouling a large area with oil. Oil would also penetrate into Lake Pontchartrain, which lies just two feet above sea level. However, the wave action of the storm will dilute the oil to some degree, which may limit the damage to the marshlands.
If you are wondering about the specific probabilities of receiving tropical storm force winds at your location, I recommend the wind probability product from NHC. The latest 5 pm probabilities of various locations getting tropical storm force winds, 39 mph or higher:
Marathon 55%
Marco Island 43%
Miami 34%
New Orleans 33%
Galveston 13%
Intensity Forecast for TD 3
The primary detriment to development of TD 3 for the next three days will be the presence of the large upper-level low to its west. If the low remains in its present location, relative to TD 3, it will bring wind shear of about 10 knots to the storm. This will allow for steady intensification of perhaps 20 mph per day, and TD 3 could be a hurricane by Sunday at that pace. However, if the upper-level low slows down a bit, relative to TD 3, more shear and dry air will affect the storm, potentially weakening it. None of the computer models is calling for TD 3 to strengthen into a hurricane, but if the shear continues at 10 knots, I expect TD 3 will become a hurricane. My low-confidence intensity forecast gives TD 3 a 40% chance of becoming a hurricane. NHC is putting the odds of TD 3 being a hurricane at 2 pm Sunday at 15% with their 5pm advisory.
98L
An area of disturbed weather (98L) has developed in the Gulf of Mexico's Bay of Campeche. This system is under a low amount of shear, 5 - 10 knots, and probably does not have enough time to organize into a tropical depression before making landfall along the Mexican coast a few hundred miles south of the Texas border on Friday.
Resources for the BP oil disaster
Map of oil spill location from the NOAA Satellite Services Division
My post, What a hurricane would do the Deepwater Horizon oil spill
My post on the Southwest Florida "Forbidden Zone" where surface oil will rarely go
My post on what oil might do to a hurricane
NOAA's interactive mapping tool to overlay wind and ocean current forecasts, oil locations, etc.
Gulf Oil Blog from the UGA Department of Marine Sciences
Oil Spill Academic Task Force
University of South Florida Ocean Circulation Group oil spill forecasts
ROFFS Deepwater Horizon page
Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery from the University of Miami
Next update
I'll have an update in the morning. ABC World News Tonight will probably show a sound bite I did for them today, on their 6:30pm broadcast.
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
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Actually earlier today he did say that in this case it would go more west because of something to do with deep steering layers, I think? Just repeating what I read...
WTNT43 KNHC 222032
TCDAT3
TROPICAL DEPRESSION THREE DISCUSSION NUMBER 2
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL032010
500 PM EDT THU JUL 22 2010
AN AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE HAS BEEN INVESTIGATING THE
DEPRESSION AND FOUND A BROAD CIRCULATION WITH PEAK WINDS AROUND 30
KNOTS AND A MINIMUM PRESSURE NEAR 1006 MB. THE CLOUD PATTERN HAS NOT
BECOME ANY BETTER ORGANZIED THAN EARLIER TODAY WITH THE CENTER NOW
ON THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CONVECTION DUE TO SOME SHEAR. THE
OUTFLOW IS BECOMING ESTABLISHED IN ALL QUADRANTS EXCEPT TO THE
SOUTHWEST WHERE THE UPPER LOW IS LOCATED. INITIAL INTENSITY IS KEPT
AT 30 KNOTS BUT ONLY A SMALL RELAXATION OF THE SHEAR...AS
EXPECTED...WILL RESULT IN SOME INTENSIFICATION. NONE OF THE
GUIDANCE MODELS SHOW LARGE INCREASES IN STRENGTH...PERHAPS DUE TO
THE PROXIMITY OF THE DEPRESSION TO THE STRONG UPPER LOW. THE
OFFICIAL FORECAST IS GENEROUS COMPARED TO THE DYNAMICAL GUIDANCE
BUT IS CLOSE TO THE SHIPS AND LGEM MODELS.
THE OVERALL CIRCULATION HAS MOVED A LITTLE TO THE NORTHWEST AROUND
AN UPPER-LOW OVER FLORIDA DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS. THE BEST
ESTIMATE OF THE INITIAL MOTION IS 310 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS.
HOWEVER...AS THE UPPER LOW MOVES TO THE WEST AS INDICATED BY MOST
OF THE GLOBAL MODELS...THE DEPRESSION WILL BECOME EMBEDDED WITHIN A
DEEP EASTERLY FLOW AND SHOULD BEGIN TO MOVE MORE TO THE
WEST-NORTHWEST WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARD SPEED. THE TRACK
GUIDANCE IS IN REMARKABLY GOOD AGREEMENT...BRINGING THE CYCLONE
ACROSS THE FLORIDA STRAITS AND ACROSS THE GULF OF MEXICO...AND
SO DOES THE OFFICIAL FORECAST.
That;s not good atall.
I have stoned crab on ignore, so please don't...well, you get my point right?
At any rate, the CoC appears to be just south of the southern tip of Long Island in the Bahamas.
* - Yes, I am calling her that; if she's not there already, she will be soon. Sue me if I'm wrong. :-)
------------------------------
AT 500 PM EDT...2100 UTC...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION THREE
WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 22.7 NORTH...LONGITUDE 75.4 WEST. THE
DEPRESSION HAS BEEN MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHWEST NEAR 14 MPH...22
KM/HR. A TURN TO THE WEST-NORTHWEST WITH AN INCREASE IN FORWARD
SPEED IS EXPECTED TONIGHT AND FRIDAY.
DATA FROM A RECONNAISSANCE PLANE INDICATE THAT THE DEPRESSION HAS
NOT STRENGTHENED. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS REMAIN NEAR 35 MPH...55
KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE AND THE
DEPRESSION COULD BECOME A TROPICAL STORM TONIGHT OR FRIDAY.
THE MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE
PLANE WAS 1006 MB...29.71 INCHES.
Because he is a northcaster and never has his facts straight
No, I just get it early. LOL
Think I'll take that little bit of advice. Cheaper than Xanex!
WTNT33 KNHC 222031
TCPAT3
BULLETIN
TROPICAL DEPRESSION THREE ADVISORY NUMBER 2
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL032010
500 PM EDT THU JUL 22 2010
...AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE FINDS THAT THE TROPICAL DEPRESSION
HAS NOT STRENGTHENED...
SUMMARY OF 500 PM EDT...2100 UTC...INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...22.7N 75.4W
ABOUT 205 MI...325 KM SE OF NASSAU
ABOUT 425 MI...685 KM ESE OF KEY WEST FLORIDA
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...35 MPH...55 KM/HR
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NW OR 310 DEGREES AT 14 MPH...22 KM/HR
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1006 MB...29.71 INCHES
ma'am you got that right there.
Dont recall saying it would.
Pat is this projected path supposed to shift back west some after it enters the gulf?
Downer time on the blog....folks reaching for a kleenex...taking shots of 7 and 7....cussing the NHC...get ready WU bloggers!
how far north are the warnings now?
Agreee... hit the ignore button!
AN UPPER-LOW OVER FLORIDA DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS. THE BEST
ESTIMATE OF THE INITIAL MOTION IS 310 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS.
I'm pretty sure some of us mentioned this and were shot down.
Yeah...sure...you're a pro...who said nothing til August.
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