Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog

Beneficial Barry
Posted by: Dr. Jeff Masters, 4:43 PM GMT on June 03, 2007 +3
Tropical Storm Barry is no more. Its remnants, now an extratropical storm with top winds of 40 mph over the ocean, are over the Mid-Atlantic coast, moving north-northeastward at 10 mph. Barry's remnants are expected to bring 1-3 inches of rain along the Mid-Atlantic and New England states through Monday. Was Barry really a tropical storm? I think it should have been named "Subtropical Storm Barry", and I hope NHC looks at the storm carefully to consider redesignating it after the season is over. Read Margie Kieper's View From the Surface blog for more on this.

On Saturday, Barry brought up to seven inches of rain to drought-parched Florida, including an official 6.99" to West Palm Beach, 4.07" to Jacksonville, 5.91" to Savannah Georgia, and 3.17" to Tampa. Barry's rains probably provided tens of millions of dollars of benefit--quite the opposite of what we're used to saying about tropical storms! The fire area near the Florida-Georgia border got between 1-5 inches of rain from Barry, which has dampened but not extinguished the fires. Barry's rains also helped a bit with the Florida drought. However, Barry's rains were only 1-2 inches over central Florida, and they need about 30 inches of rain to pull them out of drought conditions. The summer rainy season typically begins in June, so there is hope that substantial rains are on the way. There doesn't appear to be much rain coming this week, though.


Figure 1. Total rainfall from Barry for northern Florida, estimated by radar.

June outlook
My outlook for the first two weeks of June was posted Friday. I don't see anything on the horizon for the remainder of this week--wind shear is expected to be high most of this week over the favored breeding grounds for June storms--the Gulf of Mexico and Western Caribbean. Wind shear may drop enough over the Western Caribbean early next week to allow tropical storm formation, but that is too far in the future to guess at the probability of such an event.

This will be my last "live" blog until Monday June 11; it's time to grab a week of summer vacation while the tropics are quiet. I'm off to see Niagara Falls and the "Grand Canyon of the East", New York's awesome Letchworth State Park. I hope to get some good waterfall rainbow shots to add to my wunderphotos. I've written two canned blogs that will be posted Tuesday and Friday while I'm gone:

Tuesday--We've all used NHC's Tropical Weather Outlook, which most often this time of year says, "Tropical cyclone formation is not expected during the next 48 hours." How accurate are these outlooks? I'll present some verification statistics from 2005 and 2006.

Friday--The NHC made it's best track forecasts ever last year. How good are their forecasts now? Which of the various computer models performed the best last year? I'll have a breakdown of the numbers.

Arrogance
Our Climate Change blog by Dr. Ricky Rood has an interesting commentary on what the chief of NASA said last week in an NPR interview when asked, "Do you have any doubt that climate change is a problem that mankind has to wrestle with?"

Strongest tropical cyclone ever seen in Arabian Sea
Follow The View From the Surface blog this week to track Tropical Cyclone Gonu. Gonu is the strongest storm ever seen in the Arabian Sea, and could cause big trouble for the Persian Gulf oil rigs and tankers.

Jeff Masters
Categories: Fire
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101. Fl30258713 6:34 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Tomorrow? Those storms are going to be in NW Fla in probably 3 to 4 hours.
As it moves through La it will probably get close enough to the GOM to draw moisture.
This doesn't look like a typical afternoon pop up type of storm to me.
Member Since: July 24, 2006 Posts: 1 Comments: 976
102. NorthxCakalaky 6:34 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
I bet before this is over some where in N.C will be 10inches.
103. WPBHurricane05 6:36 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
I'm in West Palm and received 9 inches of rain, the back yard started flooding. It is sloped so that was expected.
Member Since: July 31, 2006 Posts: 55 Comments: 7895
104. thelmores 6:36 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
keep waiting for the pressure to bottom out..... at 29.36 currently in Myrtle Beach.......
Member Since: September 8, 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 3748
105. NorthxCakalaky 6:40 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
I have goten 3.5 inches from Barry in Western N.C. Looks like mountains around me have 4-5 according to radar.
106. NorthxCakalaky 6:43 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
I dont see why the banks have flood watches and the mountains dont. But they are beside a ocean though.
107. Patrap 6:44 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Honeymooned in Boone,N.C. in 91
Member Since: July 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244
108. WPBHurricane05 6:44 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
The thermometer reads 91, with a SW wind around
10 MPH, pressure around 1009, with partly cloudy skies. (West Palm Beach)
Member Since: July 31, 2006 Posts: 55 Comments: 7895
109. Drakoen 6:44 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
I just wanted to note that my forecast for Barry was near or on target lol. The only thing i did not percieve was the amount of rain fall for south Florida. Especially in the Palm Beach County area.

borderline tropical storm Barry
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110. WPBHurricane05 6:46 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
I think most of us detected the early NE motion.
Member Since: July 31, 2006 Posts: 55 Comments: 7895
111. Drakoen 6:48 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
lol yea but i heard most of you guys saying. move you line north, or its moving more NNE. thats what i remember lol.
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112. Patrap 6:50 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
WAVETRAK Link
Member Since: July 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244
113. NorthxCakalaky 6:52 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Still reporting moderate to heavy rain.Link
115. WPBHurricane05 6:56 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
lol yea but i heard most of you guys saying. move you line north, or its moving more NNE. thats what i remember lol.

Thats why I said most. I thought you were correct. You could see that there was a NE motion.
Member Since: July 31, 2006 Posts: 55 Comments: 7895
116. NorthxCakalaky 6:57 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
are they any other tropical systems out there at the monment to watch
117. NorthxCakalaky 6:59 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    


urgent - immediate broadcast requested
Tornado Watch number 338
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
125 PM CDT sun Jun 3 2007

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
Tornado Watch for portions of

southeast New Mexico
southwest Texas

Effective this Sunday afternoon and evening from 125 PM until
1000 PM CDT.

Tornadoes... hail to 3 inches in diameter... thunderstorm wind
gusts to 70 mph... and dangerous lightning are possible in these
areas.

The Tornado Watch area is approximately along and 80 statute
miles north and south of a line from 45 miles southwest of
Carlsbad New Mexico to 60 miles south southeast of Midland Texas.
For a complete depiction of the watch see the associated watch
outline update (wous64 kwns wou8).

Remember... a Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
and possible warnings.

Other watch information... continue... ww 336... ww 337...

Discussion... initial convective development is occurring near and
just E of high terrain in se nm in advance of a srn stream shortwave
trough that is moving ewd... while the low levels continue to
warm/destabilize farther E/se into W/SW TX. A separate WNW-ESE
oriented surface boundary is drifting swd to near Midland. Strong
instability /MLCAPE values near 3000 j/kg / and a weakening cap is
expected across this area this afternoon... and vertical shear will
gradually become more favorable for splitting supercells with very
large hail. Though low-level moisture and shear are not particularly
strong... the expected supercell structures and presence of surface
boundaries may support a few tornadoes. Otherwise... convection will
likely grow upscale into a severe MCS this evening as the storms
move esewd along the instability axis.

Aviation... tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
surface and aloft to 3 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface
wind gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to
550. Mean storm motion vector 29025.


118. Littleninjagrl 6:59 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Anything new brewing out there?
Member Since: August 29, 2006 Posts: 0 Comments: 843
119. WPBHurricane05 6:59 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Gonu headed for Oman.


NA
Member Since: July 31, 2006 Posts: 55 Comments: 7895
120. thelmores 7:00 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Hey Drak, stick around this year...... you'll have plenty of time to be wrong! Nature of the beast! ;)
Member Since: September 8, 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 3748
121. NorthxCakalaky 7:01 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Any thing that could threaten U.S.A? Like any low pressure or waves?
124. BahaHurican 7:04 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
TWC was a good and only TV/media source for a while.Like in the mid 80s.

In the 80s TWC only put info up about tropical weather if it was going to hit the US. All other things aside, I think their coverage of ATL tropical systems has radically improved.

For what they do, they're not too bad. At least they mostly TRY to be accurate LOL.
Member Since: October 25, 2005 Posts: 19 Comments: 17588
125. NorthxCakalaky 7:04 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
I change my forcasts of 10 ,i think 8.
126. Thunderstorm2 7:05 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
If you go with 10 minute winds on Gonu it is still a Tropical Storm on the SS Scale. If you go with 1 minute winds then it is a Hurricane.
Member Since: December 22, 2006 Posts: 129 Comments: 7608
127. Patrap 7:05 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
CIMSS MIMIC GONU Vmax 57kts Link
Member Since: July 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244
128. NorthxCakalaky 7:08 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Has every one gave up on what was use to be Berry.
129. NorthxCakalaky 7:10 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Berry is forming a eye! lol to late nowLink
130. WPBHurricane05 7:12 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
REPEATING THE 11 AM EDT POSITION...33.2NORTH...79.4 WEST...MOVEMENT TOWARD THE NORTH-NORTHEAST AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS AT 40 MPH...MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...992 MB. Link
Member Since: July 31, 2006 Posts: 55 Comments: 7895
131. Fl30258713 7:14 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Patrap,
The rain seems to be building on the south end. You might get wet. You're right there in the SW coast aren't you?
Member Since: July 24, 2006 Posts: 1 Comments: 976
133. WPBHurricane05 7:16 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Front over the Bahamas in 7 days. Link
If anything develops it would probably be like Beryl last year. Link Unless that high pressure says otherwise.
Member Since: July 31, 2006 Posts: 55 Comments: 7895
134. WPBHurricane05 7:18 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
PINHOLE EYE

Wheres taz....
Member Since: July 31, 2006 Posts: 55 Comments: 7895
135. Drakoen 7:18 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Posted By: thelmores at 7:00 PM GMT on June 03, 2007.

Hey Drak, stick around this year...... you'll have plenty of time to be wrong! Nature of the beast! ;)


LOL. I will i always come here during hurricane season. Then post little after that.

Posted By: WPBHurricane05 at 6:56 PM GMT on June 03, 2007.

lol yea but i heard most of you guys saying. move you line north, or its moving more NNE. thats what i remember lol.

Thats why I said most. I thought you were correct. You could see that there was a NE motion.


yes there was a period when i went almost ENE then back to NNE which allowed it to make landfall somewhere near tampa.
Also i want to note that the waves coming of Africa now would probably become tropical systems if it were later in the season. That being said i think that this is only mroe evidence of an active season.
Member Since: October 28, 2006 Posts: 57 Comments: 29010
137. Patrap 7:24 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Patrap is west of New Orleans Downtown by 7 miles.Near Airport.In these crosshairs. Link
Member Since: July 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244
138. BahaHurican 7:24 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Pat,

It says a lot about u that you would choose Boone as a honeymoon spot . . .

LOL Good ole Boone . . .
Member Since: October 25, 2005 Posts: 19 Comments: 17588
139. Drakoen 7:24 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
the current placement of the high pressure would bring any moisture from east to west over Florida for now.
Member Since: October 28, 2006 Posts: 57 Comments: 29010
140. Patrap 7:25 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Freind has Home 4500 feet up in a Nice Valley. Built Block and Firebrick Barbeque for him that week.He a good friend.
Member Since: July 3, 2005 Posts: 370 Comments: 111244
141. Drakoen 7:25 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
979 mb is not that impressive but the system may be going under rapid intensification
Member Since: October 28, 2006 Posts: 57 Comments: 29010
143. Drakoen 7:28 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
i dont remember JP i think 2... not that good on memory when it comes to this.
Member Since: October 28, 2006 Posts: 57 Comments: 29010
144. WPBHurricane05 7:28 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    

how many CAT5 storms formed during the 2005 hurricane season


3
Member Since: July 31, 2006 Posts: 55 Comments: 7895
146. WPBHurricane05 7:29 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
4--Emily, Katrina, Rita, Wilma
Member Since: July 31, 2006 Posts: 55 Comments: 7895
147. RL3AO 7:29 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
4--Em, Kat, Rit, and Wil
150. Drakoen 7:30 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
ah its four looks through archive..
Member Since: October 28, 2006 Posts: 57 Comments: 29010
151. WPBHurricane05 7:30 PM GMT on June 03, 2007    
Wow RL3AO that weird.....
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About JeffMasters
Jeff co-founded the Weather Underground in 1995 while working on his Ph.D. He flew with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters from 1986-1990.

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