Updated 8 PM. Hurricane Alex Slamming the Azores. Oscar Nominated Song Earned It ..Alex Earned the Title Hurricane. Does it Have More Surprises? Keep Watching.

8 PM 

Track... remains the same.

Threads the needle of the Azores and races on towards Greenland.

The main part of the discussion that is Alex will soon go Extratropical.

From the 4 PM Discussion from the NHC:

"Later in the forecast period, the global models show the system merging

with another extratropical cyclone over the northern Atlantic"

Note how cold the water is in the NW part of this image below.

To the SE of Alex you can see the water is warmer.

This loop below shows how Alex is being cut off from it's tropical moisture feed.

And Alex is being propelled NORTH up into the North Atlantic.

The Water Vapor Loop below shows how Alex got shoved so far to the East.

And you can also see in the WV crystal ball how its going to shoot to the North.

50 shades of gray, black and white = January Hurricane

In honor of the nominated Best Songs for Oscar I'll quote a song.

Hurricane Alex EARNED IT.

So now you want to know where Alex is going?

Azores and then Greenland.

North Atlantic ports of call.

Note though it took the long way not the short way to get there.

Alex really should have his own travel blog.



Perhaps we should think of him on the far side of the world.

Did you ever want to change your mind? Go back in time? Make a U Turn when it wasn't allowed? You know happens to all of us at one time or the other. You think "wait I don't want that sushi roll I'd rather have a Bento Box" but you are afraid to speak up... You decide to only drive down to Key Largo but you really want to go all the way to Key West. Hurricane Alex has no problems changing it's mind nor breaking the rules. Hurricane Alex is a Hurricane in January and has traveled from South Florida towards the Azores and now wants to do Greenland. What else is next for Alex I wonder....

Alex could not have formed playing it safe on the East Coast right now.

It had to travel across the Atlantic to find it's sweet spot.

Before making a U turn for Greenland with Azores in it's projected track.

1 picture says it all. 

You know that song IF... 

IF a picture paints a thousand words???

This satellite image was the Mona Lisa of Hurricane History.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nTsaixdX4f8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Compare the picture posted above with the official NHC hurricane graphic.

See the shadow effect in the eye of Alex here.

You can see a hurricane in the eye of Alex ...

The classic Hurricane Symbol that any tourist can read in Miami.

Even if they don't speak English... like who speaks English in Miami?

Watch the symbol POP out at you in this loop.

I've drawn the landmasses on here.

Helps to see how far away Alex is currently.

Since this is closer to Europe than America let's look at the EUMETSAT

Sometimes you have to go wide to see how small something is.

Note the dense, CDO that exists with Alex.

I would not rule out strengthening.

That's AFRICA not Australia just so you know.

Zoom in view.

2 views from them in color and black and white below.

One important fact I want you to remember.

Alex is currently moving at NNE at 20 MPH.

Highlights why Azores hoisted hurricane warnings fast!

Nice web cam site posted by www.crownweather.com

Nice images and loops on www.spaghettimodels.com

Where I usually look to find winter storms in January  ;)

Note how cut off Hurricane Alex is from the frontal boundaries

The NHC discussion is sort of a mute point but I will post part of it.

Azores put up hurricane warnings.

They underestimated it's strengthening in the short term.

With little experience forecasting January Subtropical storms...

...understandable and this storm is a learning opportunity for all of us.

The Discussion reminds me of that silly saying from the 60s.

I was never a big fan and yet here I am in Mayberry AKA Raleigh..

I'll be back later updating in real time.

I wouldn't count out future surprises with this January Hurricane.

Oscar Nominations had some surprises for Best Picture.

Perhaps Alex will surprise us some more...

2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season is here.

Alex is a wake up call.

El Nino is said to be hitting the road.

Make a plan now... got lots of time to budget it in before June 1st...

... or earlier.