Hurricane Harbor

A writer and a tropical muse. A funky Lubavitcher who enjoys watching the weather, hurricanes, listening to music while enjoying life with a sense of humor and trying to make sense of it all!

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

11 PM UPDATE - Tropical Storm Barry Forming From PTC2 in the GOM CLOSE TO LAND. Forecast to be Cat 1 Hurricane by NHC. Louisiana in the Cross Hairs for RAIN FLOODING. Recon going in later today. NHC Cone. Tropics NOW.

11 PM Update on PTC2
Maybe tomorrow.....
Still only 30 MPH

Broad center with multiple centers.
The center has not stacked yet.
Kind of a center but no cigar..


Note it's a very slow mover for a while.
At some point it picks up speed.
Develops close in over very warm waters.
Caveat here is IF a real center stacks up.
Models insist that will happen.

Note salient discussion points tonight from NHC


"multiple low level swirls associated with individual convective
cells were noted in the aircraft wind data"

Great product NHC puts out.
Flooding potential... 



Will start over in the morning.
Maybe tomorrow..
Tomorrow is always a day away.

Sweet Tropical Dreams,
BobbiStorm


Recon may have found a center........
........waiting to see what NHC says.
NHC said they found a broad center...........
and another smaller center and another.
Not there yet was the verdict.




thru 

Look carefully.
Barry's getting a center.
A belly button even.
Seriously... 
Takes a while to come together.
Give him some time to breathe.

Updating live today.
New info at the top...
..if you didn't read this morning's post please read all.

5 PM Update.




Nice graphic there. 
Simple. Clear.


You can read the Discussion yourself.
I highlighted parts I felt were salient.



I have said before I see it being impacted by shear.
Not strong shear but shear is there.
For a developing system that's hard.
It's center has to stack vertically to develop.
So any shear is an issue.
Water temperature is HOT.
Water Vapor Loop shows some shear.
NHC acknowledges it.
Below I want to call your attention to Number 4.
Slow movement .. Flash Flooding... River Flooding.


As for water temperature...
It's that hot.


Water upwards of 85 degrees.
85 to 90 degrees.
85 degrees close in....

As for what cities have possibilities...

Pretty much every city for miles around has some probability.
Even far outside the cone.
You need to read the small print to know what the Wind Probs mean.
I was trained to use it for various purposes.
I was trained by specialists in the field.
Good advice.


To understand how the NHC explains the Cone.
Here's the link below.


There's lots of rules and explanations on their site.

This is difficult as many on air specialists explain it differently.
Max Mayfield who is long gone talked on it often.


It's a bit old but it's from Max Mayfield.
Every director is different.
There have been a lot of different directors of late.

I know how Rick Knabb explains it on air.
Here's his Twitter link https://twitter.com/drrickknabb?lang=en

Know what Rick said recently is my main concern.
What do we know? 
We know it will be slow movement for the short term.



Good advice to remember.



Then See Monday. Barely moving.
Weak steering currents currently forecast.






The official NOAA forecast has it over LA thru Monday.
That could change.
But the flooding inland would be a problem.

My bottom line:

Let me explain how this goes. It's currently raining off and on in Louisiana and other places nearby. There was flooding this morning as well as a tornado. It floods easily there but more easily with heavy tropical rain. The river is already swollen... you know the Mississippi River and it's low lying filled with lots of bayous that flood. That water rises and the structures holding it will have problems with it and yes I'm talking about a slow moving minimal hurricane. Then it makes landfall and moves SLOWLY UP River... that is flooding.......then it moves further up into Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas not to let E Oklahoma off the hook. That adds more water to the River and where do you think that water goes? Well it tries to go downstream. This has the potential for a real, flooding mess that will impact many people's lives over a wide area and it's the beginning of the hurricane season so who knows what else will come there way later in the season.

Oh and the Atlantic is about to come alive.
As in 1-2-3 or rather 3-4-5
ABC .. that fast.

Until the steering currents open up the gates.
And let Barry leave....
... Barry is stuck as seen here.


And it's slowly coming together.
Some models show a stronger hurricane.
We can talk on that tomorrow.


You have a big bull in a China Shop.
A tea kettle full and spilling over everywhere.
Flooding. 
This is the concern here........

As for me I'm going out tonight.
I'm going to wear my Drunk Donkey Tee Shirt
And wear a real short skirt ;)
(giggling)
And eat good Southern Food and drink Craft Beer.
And I'll be back to see what we see... 

Thank you TREMENDOUSLY for your feedback ...
...and great discussion on Twitter and elsewhere.

Sweet Tropical Dreams...
BobbiStorm on Twitter & Instagram.
Follow me there for real time discusison.

atl_ir4_sat_tropicalindex_anim.gif (640×480)

Note it's raining all over the place...
N FL to LA/TX border.
Not a good set up before landfall.
Before we even knew it's name was Tropical Storm Barry..

Besos .........


I'm sure I'm part of that huge number of hits ;)







* * * 

2 PM 


Note NHC has this as HURRICANE BARRY at landfall.
What category depends on many things.

Note it's a developing cyclone.
Movement WSW currently.
That could also be part of center reforming.
We don't have a clear cut center.
High behind it is strong.
High to it's NW is strong and moving East.

You can use the loop and see this happening as well.


'
See how the yellow area moves down 
The developing cyclone responds with WSW movement


Also note this is growing in moisture.
It is over octane fuel water temperature wise.
It has moisture below it and it is sucking that in..
A potentially dangerous set up.


Mimic loop I used to call OJ Loop ..


Note there there is deep supply of moisture below to the S.
Hurricanes know how to suck that moisture up.
That's why they develop a long tail.
Those were waves that didn't develop.
But stayed together.
Note there are waves in the Atlantic.
By the end of the month we will be tracking Atlantic storms.


That's a strong, healthy ITCZ
Waves make it across.
EURO develops a wave down the road.
Stay tuned.

Back to Barry...


Earlier at the beginning of the loop there was moisture S of Cuba.
PTC2 sucked it up into the GOM.

Watch in real time the two areas interact.

gom_ir4_sat_tropicalindex_anim.gif (640×480)

This loop is on www.spaghettimodels.com

Mike is awesome and always adding links.
Also has specialized Barry Links.
It will be Barry soon.

Earthnull shows the center.
The center is trying to come together.
You can see it's not perfect yet.


Give it time.

Models show a hurricane just off shore.
Models change on each run.



Know some models do intensify it more.
I'm waiting for info from recon and next model runs.
Also waiting for Barry to become Barry.
Another link from NHC that's good to use is shown below.
If you use the link below it is interactive.
It can show you down to your city where you are in the cone.


People to follow on Twitter


He knows weather, hurricanes and Nola.



I'm putting this up because........
...people in Miami keep asking me.
"how do we know it won't turn back to the East"
That's why. 

As for experts we have Bryan Norcross



If you can't trust him who can you trust?





First off Recon is IN the system.


***
Keep reading if you didn't read this mornings blog.
Updating in real time today at the top.
Be back later Bobbi


Note NHC Forecasts this to become Hurricane Barry...
in NHC Discussion 


Discussion 


That is not locked in.
Often intensity forecasting is the hardest part.
So always prepare for 1 category higher.
Just in case.
Better safe and prepared than sorry.

Potential Tropical Cyclone 2 to be TS Barry eventually.
Eventually Hurricane Barry.
Much awaited Cone below.


Rainfall projection.
For now rain is the name of the game.
We can worry on stronger winds later.
More people die from water than wind.
Run from the water.
Hide from the wind.
Hard to get to where you need to hide...
...if your route to get out is blocked by water.
Because op the shape of Louisiana...
Parts of Mississippi and Texas are in this...
Long range Oklahoma and Arkansas gets rain.


Tropical Storm Watch issued.
Mouth of Mississippi River to Morgan City, La

Storm watches from Pearl River to Morgan City.






Note the river flooding problem goes N up into Arkansas possibly.

The reason I was upset yesterday about the slowness of the NHC to put out their PTC2 product is because in this case it's not about LANDFALL today but about rain ahead of Barry while PTC2 tried to come together. You add in WARM WATER and localized rain and HOT weather and you have rain falling in flash flood proportions TODAY.. and I knew that would happen YESTERDAY. There is way too much obsession on what city will get to be landfall as if it's some contest. This is not a Cat 5 Hurricane with a small core of dangerous winds that people need to know where that tight Andrew like eye is going as much as WHERE IS THE WEATHER GOING and WHO WILL GET FLOODING and that area is a wide swath along the many populated cities that lie from the Mobile to Houston. Houston is not in the cone but does Barry wrap up or does it's weather go everywhere? It's a difficult forecast for the NHC as it's evolving and developing in real time. And time is of the essence to prepare both down by the Gulf of Mexico and up in the back woods prone to flooding along the Mississippi River, the Pearl River and the Sabine River. Lots of rivers and bayous there and they are all prone to flooding even far from the point of landfall.



I will update this blog in real time ...
Keep checking back soon.
It will be a Live Blog  today.



NHC did issue a PTC2 Discussion.
There were rumors in the wind that was happening at 11 AM.
But at 9 AM the NHC had this up.
Either way recon is going in soon .........



Waiting on RECON to go in obviously.
Better recon data gives us better model runs.
More info for the NHC to put into their advisories.
Nuff said on that for now..... 
(read previous blog for my thoughts)

You can see the highlighted part below.
Waiting on recon...
...stand by for advisories later.


So what's the info on models?
Where does it go?
Mike who knows what people want knows.


Obviously Louisiana has a bulls eye on it.
New Orleans actually has a TORNADO warning this morning.
Tornadoes could be a problem later from Barry


Why now?
Because this is a slow developing storm.
But the RAIN is the NAME of the GAME today.
And the rain that will fall for the next few days........
.....BEFORE BARRY MAKES LANDFALL
Could make epic flooding.


Listen to people who know.
Weather people, Storm Chasers KNOW.
They know the END result often.
The NHC puts up a CONE... eventually.



Mimic Loop shows spin slowly coming together.

See the larger S shape around general moisture mess


Let's go back to the models.
Keeping this simple this morning.

I had to stop writing to take a picture of the TV.
Yes, how Old School.
Welcome to my world.
No time to play with webcams or searches.
TWC showing the webcam.
Duh...so ignore the "took a pic of tv" look.
The message is the thing here.


And yes I have a map on my wall.
Told you I love maps.

Note this TWEET 15 HOURS AGO.



Understand New Orleans and areas around it....
........do not need Harvey like rain totals to flood.
Actually Houston floods fast too.
It's BAYOU country.
It's a swamp basically.
This is the problem.
Barry won't be Camille.
This is not a wind event but a rain/flooding event.



NOTE... the models again.
Posting this twice.

The HWRF last night set the tropical world on fire.
It showed RI upon landfall and a strong hurricane.
Everyone went crazy on that one model run.
As they do every time the GFS agrees with the EURO.
HWRF had it's 15 minutes of fame.
IF that happens everyone will ask about the HWRF.
The next run pulled back a bit this morning.
Oh well.
Note the ICON is being watched by many.

So let's let RECON fly into the plane.
Let's let the NHC do it's official thing.

The GOVERNOR of LOUISIANA DIDN'T WAIT.
Nola is not playing wait and watch game.
Their mets know the story.

Check the loop out below.
Note this is an official GOV product


allfcsts_loop_ndfd.gif (799×559)

We have a Low by Louisiana.
NOTE the WHOLE LOOP it's under RAIN.
Rain is the name of the GAME.

Lastly IF Barry goes up into the Mississippi River Valley.
There will be more rain as it's been at Flood Stage since February.
It really can't handle that much rain.

So while no it's not Harvey sort of rain.
It's still way too much and a pain.

It's not that hard to see where the NHC will put the cone.


Louisiana for now.
Texas near the Sabine River COULD be in it.
It could move closer to Mississippi or Texas....
 if something changes.
Things often change in real time.
So keep checking back.
Pay attention to your local weather sources.

You should be following these two ...


They do a great job EARLY .. 
BEFORE the CONE.
During the Cone.
Deep info.



And yeah obviously NWS New Orleans.


Current picture of their page.


This says it all.
Flash Flood Warning Wednesday Morning.

It's that simple.

Will it be a Hurricane?
How strong a hurricane?
So many questions.

But the WATER is the problem here.
Not the wind.
I don't count anything out but....
It's that simple.
If it becomes a Cat 2 act accordingly.





Look how close to land, over land this weather is.
Before Barry forms.

More people die from FLOODING than wind.
This area is prone to flooding.
This will be a flooding/rain event.

So BobbiStorm's Bottom Line
If you live in this area prepare now.
Prepare according to your concerns.
Is flooding an often problem in your area?
Then get out of your area.
If not hunker down.
Get supplies because you'll need them.
Stores and roads could be closed for a while.
Monitor the progress of the system.
Follow local sources they know your concerns.

I think this will be a Louisiana landfall.
I could be wrong but currently seems so.
Even so a "center" could hit TX but the rain...
...the rain will impact Louisiana.
And people UP RIVER...
Should watch because the RIVER already has problems.

I'll update later so check back often.
Models that shows this paralleling the coast..
is dangerous in a Charley way.
Not because RI or wind speed.
But because hard to say which CITY gets it ...
It's not an easy set up.
But we know it's there.
We can prepare.

Close Up Loop

atl_ir4_sat_tropicalindex_anim.gif (640×480)

Wide Loop

GOES16-TAW-GEOCOLOR-900x540.gif (900×540)


Note the Wave Train off Africa.
After we are done with Barry.....
... We will have Chantal to contend with.
And that WAVE South of Cuba has been cooking.

Besos BobbiStorm
@bobbistorm on Twitter and Instagram.
Follow me there for real time responses and discussion.

Ps.... read the previous blog.
I complained on things I am not gonna rant on now.
But I think it's way too close to land now.
It was obvious the NHC is going with the slow forming model.
It's way too close to land and surprises do pop up.
I'd rather have had an official PTCW up earlier not later.
Fly the planes in ...
... they are outta MS it's not a long flight.
Data is good for details.
We need the dropsonde data.

Those that know me know I love Nola.
I was the Keynote Speaker at a Conference there....
...on a riverboat in the Mississippi River :)

So enjoy the song.
Pray the EURO is wrong.
Hope the GFS knows something.
But even without developing deep.
The rain is the name of the game.

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Friday, August 31, 2018

UPDATED TD 6 Forms. Labor Day Weekend Tropical Update. Thoughts on How Florence Forms and Tropical Waves in the Caribbean and RAIN Either Way... Prepare and Get a Plan B and Have a Great Holiday


TD 6

I am not ready to buy the Out to Sea solution.
The Fish Storm scenario.
It could happen.
It might not be such a locked in end game.


You can compare with the image at the bottom of the blog...
TD6 trying to break away from the monsoon trof.

As things stand now expect TD6 to take the Southern end of the Cone and if that happens they will adjust the cone a bit more to the South on each advisory. They have already backpedaled on forecast intensity. Originally this was forecast to be a Hurricane in the medium time frame, then later time frame and now the Hurricane word has been taken off the table for now. It doesn't look all that great (an in my mind never really did though models liked it a lot) and I'm pretty sure it will become Florence.  But if Florence stays weak, it gets further West most likely as it's easy to see how a strong hurricane might break through a strong ridge, but there is no strong hurricane forecast here so why would it not continue to go more to the left (West) and if it does climb some in latitude what is to stop it from trying to turn back to the left (West)? 


Intensity forecast currently a Tropical Storm.
Only 2 models break for a Hurricane.



Note the model tracks to the South...
Begin to break a bit and lunge West.
Or perhaps it stalls out a bit.
Something with timing is off with TD6
Water Vapor Image below shows a strong high.



A strong high to the N and NW of a small TD.
Things could change.
Things often do change.

Perhaps they should have named it FLO as I'm sure FLO would be a Major Hurricane. She'd create a bit stir, catch everyone's attention and then at the end save the whole East Coast and grab a lift out of town on a cold front. She might even bring us a cold front........ think on the possibilities!!


Discussion from yesterday makes FLO a cane.


I'm always been skeptical how a 75 MPH Cane...
...tries to climb in latitude so much so early?

Now they have taken the Cane out of the forecast.
Again the models shown above explain that.


So explain how a 45 to 65 MPH TS....
...busts through a strong high?
I'm waiting to see it happen.
Fish storm means less dangers to land.
Again this may be a Mermaid.
Mermaids always are drawn to land...
...to the rocks watching the sailors.

keep watching.

As for the Caribbean area we are watching.



That little bend in the force is what we are watching.

Forecast for the next 5 days is RAIN.
With or without a name.


Understand at some point something may form.
Look at the GOM now.
It may just be a matter of time.


You can see where something might form.
Less shear, Central GOM
Shear weaker.
Water warm.
Something forms in the GOM..
..it's a bull in a China Shop.

LASTLY...

For some reason people think if we don't have a big, nasty hurricane making landfall somewhere we are fine and dandy and all's good in the universe. Wrong. Weather happens with a name or without a name. Note the next few images. Weather on the rampage....


Ain't no joy in Mt. Joy today.
10 inches of rain.
More than 5 inches per hour?
Stranded school bus ...


Bet that hail storm in 1922 caused real misery.
PA still having problems with flooding.
I'm still worried on a possible ....
...Mid Atlantic Threat later this season.
Might happen.
Might not but odds are higher this year.


I forgot to mention there was a Twister in Maine yesterday.
High latitude weather events.

Amtrak is having a problem.
Amtrak train stuck in the flood.
Waiting for a rescue engine.
Ouch.


Hurricanes Happen.
Often they are Fish Storms.
Or they catch a cold front out to sea.
But Mother Nature finds a way to cause misery..
..with or without a busy hurricane season.

Let's see what happens with TD6/FLO
And the chance that something could form in the GOM.

Keep reading is you haven't done so.
If you have...thanks.
Besos BobbiStorm








Currently low chances for development.
Short term not happening.
Long term it can happen.



Note the very strong wind flow in it's immediate path.
Note to the West of Louisiana the wind flow lightens up.
When you have bars that close together it means:
Windy.
Shear.

I've said this before over and over, I'll say it again. Models are very prone to flip flop or drop something they show one day and not two days later. Shear forecasts are less reliable than where "rain" will show up. Everything is in "FLOW" and because of that it's always in movement. Hard to predict, but we keep trying. The existence of this wave that traveled from Africa is a fact, it is still there and it may move into an area where shear lessens and over warm water it can develop. Again I have said for the last few days... it needs a "center" without that center it's just stormy weather. So keep watching here is the key and know the wave will enhance the rainfall already there lingering around Florida and up in the Gulf of Mexico. I'm going with this system first as it is closest to the US and more people want to know what is happening regarding Labor Day Weekend. Keep your APPs on with notifications and check the weather and the sky often. Severe weather at the beach can pop up fast and it often takes a long time to pack up your stuff (if you are the type who brings stuff to the beach) and get back to the safety of the car before the lightning storm moves in fast.



Mike has models up on Spaghetti Models.


You can see how closed off the circulation is...
...but it's still tethered to the monsoon trough.
That deep river of blue there...
As it gains a bit in latitude it breaks free..
And swims on it's own.

Speaking of swimming.
I'm not sold on it being a FISH STORM.
It may be more of a MERMAID STORM.
Swims like a fish but ... 
...dreams of walking on land.

The high has been huge.
The high is forecast to weaken enough...
....for Florence to find that exit North.
I'm not real sold on that just yet.
It could happen.
It could also get further West and be a problem.
Don't write the end of the story for a storm.
Before said storm has really formed.

Speaking of models.


There's a long range model.

Speaking of models is synonymous with Tropical Tidbits.
Levi Cowan on Twitter has said this about the Tropical Wave.
Remember the models (especially King Euro) were Gung Ho.
Then they were less than enthusiastic.
Why you ask?


I'll add simply.
PV Streamers like Upper Level Lows...
Are complicated to fully explain and forecast.
They have in the past helped systems formed.
Often they stop systems from forming.

Fairly short blog this morning.  I'll update later today after the next set of model runs and I digest the various satellite loops a bit more. PTC6 is forecast to attain Tropical Storm strength by the NHC over the next 24 hours or so. The big question mark on the current tropical wave near the Islands that might affect Florida (as a tropical wave) and the Gulf of Mexico as a tropical wave, tropical depression or more is a longer term threat. Currently it looks like you can find a beach, go and enjoy but know you don't need a hurricane to mess up your beach plans. So......make a Plan B always!

Besos BobbiStorm
@bobbistorm on Twitter



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