Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Active tropics: Florence, Gordon, TD 8... Cold night tonight

I'll start with the cane.
Florence has been maintaining hurricane intensity for a while now and has been expanding as it undergoes extratropical transition. The NHC issued their last advisory for Florence at 17:00EDT today. Florence will be a major threat to shipping as it stretches its rains and winds as much as 1000 miles from the center. Tropical storm force winds came very close to Cape Cod even as Florence passed our latitude. A tropical storm warning has been issued for Newfoundland. Florence will begin to weaken as it gets caught up in the westerlies and whisked off to Europe.
Tropical Storm Gordon has been strengthening throughout the day and is now up to 65mph winds. Gordon is expected to continue intensification and will likely become a hurricane tomorrow. The cyclone is currently caught up in a northwesterly flow and is expected to turn northward and follow Florence through the weakness between the two highs. Gordon will then begin to weaken as well as begin extratropical transition.
Tropical Depression 8 was initialized at 11EDT today from invest 94L off the African Coast. TD 8 has since then gained some strength and is expected to become a tropical storm tonight or tomorrow. While a westerly track is likely for the next 96 hours, beyond that it gets tricky as the same weakness that led Florence northward could do the same with TD 8. However, if the two highs strengthen and close off the weakness, then a westerly track could continue and the US would then have to be on their guard.

Frost is possible again tonight as temperatures fall into the mid to upper 30s. A frost advisory has NOT been issued for tonight, however scattered frost is mentioned in the NWS forecast. Frost is possible tonight especially in the valleys where winds will be lighter as well.
Clear skies will continue through Wednesday. Wednesday Night, a storm system will move into the region with periods of rain through Thursday Night. Thunderstorms are possible Thursday Night as a front moves through. Warm and sunny weather will arrive for the weekend with highs shooting up into the 70s and lows, a bit more comfortable than as of late, in the 50s.

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