June 28, 2023 Outlook: Dust and shear flex for now in the Atlantic

One-sentence summary

The Atlantic is beginning to ease into more of a typical, somewhat quieter pattern for now, while the Pacific wakes up from slumber.

Happening now: Yo Adrian!

Not a whole lot to discuss in the Atlantic today, as shear and dust dominate things. Cindy’s remnants are done. We’re now watching a second disturbance east of there that has a very low chance at development. The chances of that have fallen since the weekend though.

We’re not always going to talk about the Pacific, but hey, it’s the first storm of the season for that basin, so let’s take a look at Adrian.

Tropical Storm Adrian will likely form into a hurricane in the Eastern Pacific today. It is no threat to land. (Weathernerds.org)

Adrian has 65 mph winds, and it is in an environment conducive for more intensification. The storm is likely to push west over the next several days, strengthening into a hurricane later today. By later this weekend, it will likely begin to weaken over the open Pacific, as it encounters more wind shear and cooler waters.

Adrian will not only be the Eastern Pacific’s first storm but likely first hurricane of the season. (NOAA)

So, no harm no foul. Behind Adrian, there is a second system that has high odds of developing in the coming days. That would acquire the name Beatriz. It’s been a slow start in the Pacific this season, which is very abnormal for an El Niño year. With the Atlantic calming and the Pacific picking up, this is more of what we’d expect in late June and early July.

The medium-range (days 6-10): Noise but no substance

The medium-range period looks a bit more interesting in that there should be a bit more thunderstorm activity in the Gulf and Caribbean next week. However, that seems unlikely (at this point) to translate into any meaningful development. Wind shear looks to be a bit above average most of next week in the key areas where moisture will begin to pool. So, given that, probably a period where the chance of development is not zero — but it’s fairly close to zero.

Fantasyland (beyond day 10): Nothing of note in the Atlantic

The good news is that we aren’t seeing a whole lot of signal for organization to anything late. The GFS operational model continues periodically throwing a spurious storm our way in the Gulf or Caribbean, but it has been doing that off and on for weeks now. So, we’ll anticipate a quiet period into mid-July for now!

June 27, 2023 Outlook: Cindy’s remnants still struggling with shear

One-sentence summary

Cindy’s remnants will continue to at least have a fighting chance to redevelop into a system east of Bermuda, and it may bring some rain to Atlantic Canada, but other than that, things look quiet.

Happening now: Cindy’s remnants still have a long way to go

The remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy are swirling out over the open Atlantic this morning.

Cindy’s remnants (center of the map) continue to remain very disorganized over the open Atlantic. (Weathernerds.org)

There’s not a lot of organization to this, even though there is plenty of thunderstorm activity. Cindy’s remnants remain under about 30 to 50 knots of wind shear, which really needs to settle back for Cindy to have much chance at regenerating. That may be exactly what happens by tomorrow. There is no guarantee that Cindy will redevelop even if these winds relax, but there’s at least a chance. A fairly notable split exists in the modeling with the European model bringing the potential regenerating Cindy near Bermuda and then direct into Nova Scotia by the weekend. The GFS (American) model takes a more circuitous and much slower route there. In either case, any impacts to Bermuda or Atlantic Canada look relatively modest at worst, with some showers and a breeze. So, a good forecast for folks there to monitor for plans, but probably nothing to get too worked up about.

Aside from Cindy’s remnants, the only thing to watch may be dust, which should arrive in the Caribbean late this week.

Saharan dust looks at least a little more typical right now for June, with one spell of it likely heading to the Caribbean islands this week. (University of Wisconsin)

This will likely tinge the skies over the Lesser Antilles, Puerto Rico, and eventually Hispaniola and Cuba into the weekend with dust. This may impact far South Florida or the Gulf Coast as well next week to a lesser extent.

The medium-range (days 6-10): Some showers but probably nothing more

Both our operational models (single-run, deterministic modeling) and our ensemble models (models run multiple times with slight tweaks each time to generate more possible realistic outcomes) are fairly quiet in the medium-range. They do show some showers or maybe a tropical wave moving into the Caribbean next week, but nothing that is expected to develop.

Fantasyland (beyond day 10): Quiet it seems

As of today, I don’t see anything out in the modeling beyond day 10 that concerns me. Certainly, there is no ensemble support for anything of note. Maybe we’re settling into a more typical July for now.

June 26, 2023 Outlook: So long Cindy for now

One-sentence summary

Tropical Storm Cindy degenerated into an open wave yesterday, but there is at least a little chance the storm tries to give it another go near Bermuda on its way out to sea.

Happening now: Cindy slumps

Cindy was downgraded to an open wave last night, ending the current chapter of the storm. You can still see the remnant circulation this morning, virtually achieving “naked swirl” status.

Cindy’s remnants lack any real thunderstorm activity, while the system tracks off to the north and west, passing well north of the Caribbean islands. (Tropical Tidbits)

That said, there is some chance we are not done with Cindy just yet. The remnants are in a very high shear environment right now, so that’s what has helped shred it up. But as it tracks northwest, that shear may relax some, allowing for the system to regenerate thunderstorms and possibly reorganize. Why does this even matter over the open Atlantic, you ask? Because this would happen not very far from Bermuda. Not that we’re expecting a major storm for Bermuda. But it at least keeps Cindy alive and worth discussing over the next few days. The National Hurricane Center is assigning a 30 percent chance that this occurs.

Cindy’s remnants may attempt to redevelop as the system passes Bermuda later this week. (NOAA)

Whatever the case, seeing a storm in this part of the Atlantic in June remains odd and speaks to just how warm the waters are. We will keep an eye on this as it meanders north, but again for Bermuda, while it’s good to keep tabs on things, it’s not too serious a threat.

The medium-range (days 6-10): Caribbean incoherence

I would expect to see some more storms (Editor’s note: Disorganized showers & thunderstorms, not organized storms!) developing in the Caribbean as we head toward next week. Right now, it does not appear anything meaningful is going to come of it, but we will see showers and storms likely recharging in parts of the Caribbean. There will likely be dust and wind shear around to keep a lid on any sort of development. But that won’t stop some models from showing spuriously strong systems in the Gulf or Caribbean at times. For now, nothing to worry about.

Fantasyland (beyond day 10): The GFS doing it again

As noted above, the GFS continues to fire off systems with a lack of any real consistency in terms of time or place, much as it did earlier the month. With the Caribbean likely to see some moisture around this time, you always have to at least watch. But a lack of any real meaningful ensemble support from models (meaning when we run the models 30 to 50 different times we get no real consistent outcomes) leads me to believe we won’t see anything too big here. More tomorrow!

June 23, 2023 Outlook: Bretxit

One-sentence summary

Bret’s center has cleared the islands, but heavy rain remains behind it, as Tropical Storm Cindy scurries about over the open Atlantic.

Happening now: Bret about to enter the Caribbean graveyard, Cindy doing its own thing

Tropical Storm Bret

Bret is not the first storm, nor will it be the last storm to enter the eastern Caribbean and be devoured by wind shear. We call this part of the Atlantic a hurricane graveyard. And that’s actually rooted in science. Many storms enter this part of the basin and fizzle out. It has to do with a low level jet (strong winds about 5,000 feet up) and wind shear that is particularly enhanced during El Niño summers such as this one. Bret is feeling that now, and the feeling will grow in the coming days.

Bret has a lot of storms associated with it, but it looks very disheveled at the moment.

Bret is marching through the Caribbean now, but heavy rain and storms trail the center back across the islands south of Guadeloupe. (Tropical Tidbits)

But, just looking at that satellite loop above, you aren’t thinking 60 mph tropical storm. For all intents and purpose, Bret will be lucky to survive into tomorrow.

Bret’s forecast shows weakening into an open wave by the time it gets south of Jamaica this weekend. (NOAA)

Bret will continue due west until it degenerates into an open tropical wave sometime before it gets south of Jamaica.

Impacts from Bret will be in the form of rainfall and choppy seas, neither of which look especially serious at this time. Another 1 to 3 inches of rain are possible from Dominica south through St. Vincent and the Grenadines or Grenada. Some downpours may even clip Bonaire, Curacao, or Aruba on the way out, but nothing serious is expected there.

Otherwise, we can say bye to Bret.

Tropical Storm Cindy

To the east of the islands, Tropical Depression 4 developed into Tropical Storm Cindy late last night, our third named storm and fourth overall of 2023. Thankfully, Cindy is not a threat to land, and it will experience a relatively quick demise in the days ahead.

Tropical Storm Cindy will strengthen a bit more before it succumbs to shear or dry air in the Atlantic early next week. (NOAA)

Cindy looks like a blob this morning, clearly fighting wind shear. The thunderstorms are displaced to the south and west of the center.

Cindy’s thunderstorms are almost entirely displaced south and west of the center of circulation. It’s a tropical storm but not a healthy one. (Tropical Tidbits)

Over the next couple days, Cindy will gradually turn northwest, likely struggling a bit the whole way. Shear and dry air will take a toll, and Cindy will degenerate into an open wave next week, north and east of the islands. It is no threat to land at this time.

The medium-range (days 6-10): Quieting down

Cindy’s remnants will turn northward and probably remain disorganized in some capacity possibly near Bermuda at some point. But it could bring a bout of unsettled weather to the island. That third tropical wave behind Cindy is unlikely to develop. Elsewhere, there’s nothing to speak of, and we should enter July on a quiet note.

Fantasyland (beyond day 10): Nothing expected

At this time, nothing is expected to cause issues through July 10th or so. I do think we’ll begin to see moisture return to the western Gulf as high pressure that’s been baking Texas and Mexico begins to shift away. But from this distance at least, it does not appear anything will develop.