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Weather Journal

with Kevin Myatt

There is a tropical season going on in the Atlantic

Posted Jul02, 2008 at 11:14 PM

UPDATE 1:45 PM, THURSDAY 7/3: As Brandon notes in a comment below, the disturbance in the far eastern Atlantic did indeed become Tropical Storm Bertha overnight. (It's not the one circled in the inset photo; Bertha is much farther east) Bertha is relatively weak and, at this time, expected to turn toward the central Atlantic rather than approach the U.S. Of coruse, it is a LONG way out there, so there's still time for its strength and track to change, but it would many days before it would be a threat to the U.S. even if it did change course.

nhcfrontpagesmall.gif

Clicking on the map on the National Hurricane Center's Web site brings up a satellite image with threat areas circled.

It's been easy to forget with all the severe weather across much of the nation, the flooding in the central U.S., the wildfires on both coasts, and our own temperature rollercoaster between an early June heat-wave and almost autumn-like mornings here in early July, but we are one month into the Atlantic tropical season. If you haven't already, take a look at the new format of the National Hurricane Center's front page on its Web site. The hurricane center displays a Web site with different colored circles marking potential tropical development. Putting a cursor on the circles -- color-coded for low, medium and high threats -- brings up a brief description of what is being monitored and a short forecast; clicking on the map brings up a satellite image with the same areas circled, and a more detailed discussion. There are currently two areas being watched for development, one in the eastern Caribbean that is a long shot to make tropical depression status, and another off the coast of Africa that has a much better chance to develop. This page is a good way to keep up with the tropical season, especially as we move toward the meat of the hurricane season later this month and through August and September.

Comments

# 1

[July 3, 2008 9:17 AM]

Betsy

Kevin-Their new front page looks great...puts the helpful info right up front.

Have you seen Henry Margusity's new thunderstorm rating chart?
http://www.accuweather.com/mt-news-blogs.asp?partner=accuweather&blog=Meteomadness&pgurl=/mtweb/content/Meteomadness/archives/2008/07/a_band_of_ts3_storms_today.asp

# 2

[July 3, 2008 12:17 PM]

Brandon R.

Looks like TS Bertha formed last night in the Atlantic.

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Mug of Kevin Myatt

Kevin Myatt works on the copy desk for The Roanoke Times and is its principal weather geek, writing a weekly weather column and advising the newsroom on weather topics. He helps guide students on a storm chasing trip to the central U.S. each May and was an editor for "Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States."

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