Peak hurricane season is open us and while the weather locally features warm sunshine, it’s a different story out in the Atlantic. Hurricane Fiona is now accompanied by another tropical cyclone, with a third on the way in the coming days.
Let’s start with Tropical Depression Eight, in the far northern Atlantic, as it developed late Tuesday morning. The system is expected to meander in the northern Atlantic over the next several days. Posing more of an issue for maritime traffic than any big impacts to land. It is, however, expected to strengthen into Tropical Storm Gaston by at least Tuesday night or Wednesday.
Now to Fiona, the major hurricane which has drenched and battered the islands it’s crossed paths with. After catastrophic flooding in Puerto Rico, wind and rain across the eastern parts of the Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos has been the latest culprit. The system is pulling northward into the western Atlantic and will finally pick up some speed and momentum as it does so. Few things are more dangerous than a slow moving tropical cyclone.
It’ll be a close call for Bermuda as the storm will bear down on the island on Thursday – from there it heads to Newfoundland, still as a hurricane. The large, broad system will kick up the surf & seas across the western Atlantic, boaters prepare for rough seas from midweek and through the weekend. Surfers, highlight Thursday & Friday for some fun waves to catch, just watch your local winds (offshore on Thursday). And beach goers, stay our of the water Thursday & Friday as elevated rip currents will be the case up and down the east coast.
Now to what will be the talker by the weekend – a disturbance in the southern Atlantic will migrate into the Caribbean later this week, and in doing so, it’ll likely develop into our next tropical cyclone.
There is a lot of uncertainty in the extended outlook, but this is one we’ll monitor closely. As of now, we are not concerned locally. Check back in by Friday or the weekend as more answers come into the picture.
For now, enjoy the warm sunshine over the next few days, keep an eye out for a few thunderstorms Thursday evening, and welcome a blast of autumn by the weekend.
Meteorologist Steve Fundaro