Latest news with #BermudaHigh
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Warm, humid pattern holds steady ahead of Father's Day Weekend
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — Good Friday morning! We're starting off with another cloudy and humid morning, with temperatures dipping into the low 70s. Light fog may once again settle in across parts of the region following some overnight showers. By midday, temperatures will climb into the mid-80s, with some areas pushing toward 90° by late afternoon and early evening. Isolated showers or a rumble of thunder remain possible later in the day, though most areas should stay dry. Looking ahead to Father's Day Weekend: We're watching a better chance for scattered afternoon and evening showers and storms. A surge of Gulf moisture combined with a passing shortwave will help spark activity through the day. Despite the rain chances, highs will remain seasonable, hovering around 90°. Next week brings a shift: The Bermuda High begins to build in across the Southeast and East Coast. This will keep daily chances for pop-up afternoon showers and storms in play. Temperatures gradually warm into the low 90s, trending more consistently there just in time for the official start of summer next Friday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Climate
- Boston Globe
Looks like rain in Boston for the 14th weekend in a row. Is it science or just bad luck?
With rain in the forecast to some extent both days this weekend (though mainly on Saturday), we will set a new record — 14 weekends in a row with measurable rain in Boston. . Advertisement Science vs. unlucky timing I'll get right to it: our weekend woes are due to both an annoying weather pattern and happenstance. If this streak happened on Mondays, nobody would care. But with beautiful weekdays followed by gloomy, rainy weekends — boy, does this pattern get old fast. So, what's happening? The placement of the jet stream has been the key culprit behind our rainy weekend weather, and there are two main elements that have led to beautiful work days and lame weekends — storm track position and storm frequency. The jet stream is a river of wind high up in the atmosphere that moves west to east across North America. The upper-level winds plug into surface storms and direct them where to go across the surface. During the summer, the warmer temperatures tend to push the jet stream to the north of our region. Advertisement The jet stream helps direct where storms go across the country. During the summer, it is typically pushed to the north of Boston. University of Oregon At times, the jet stream can bend and bow north and south, looking like a radio wave across the country, and get stuck in a bowing position near New England. When the jet stream is bowed, more storms develop at the surface. This is exactly what's been happening over the past three months. At the same time, the placement of the jet stream continues to direct storm tracks into the vicinity of Southern New England. Just take a look at the bowing of the jet stream during the nor'easter we saw in late May. Notice how it bows north towards Boston. The jet stream bowing to the south of New England allowed for a coastal low to develop into a nor'easter in late May. Boston Globe Also, the Bermuda High has been stronger than average this meteorological spring and summer. A strong Bermuda High draws moisture north to support systems already on their way to the region. In the graphic below, see how the jet stream and the moisture flow from the Bermuda high align? A strong Bermuda High has been present, often fueling the region with moisture from the southwest this spring and summer. boston globe This means more storms with a path close to New England, which naturally increases the number of days we can expect rain. One extra tidbit on the science: The Bermuda High is partially responsible for the jet stream bowing towards and over New England because it's very dense and can push the jet stream to the north instead of east over the ocean. This slows down storms as they pass through New England, further increasing the chances for rain on a weekend. And get this, west of the Ohio Valley, the jet stream has been more flat than curvy. Advertisement Think of the jet steam as a highway and storms are the cars. With a flat jet stream from the West Coast to Ohio, you can drive fast and free. When you reach a curve, you slow down. New England is in the midst of that curve, known as a trough (when the jet stream bends into a U shape). All of these elements combined have made Boston's storm interval just two to three days this spring and summer. And more storms equal more wet weekends. When will it be over? The good news is that as we move into summer, the temperature contrast between air masses should decrease. That typically allows for more settled weather — or at least a longer break between storms. There aren't any significant changes expected in the atmosphere or our seasonal patterns, like El Niño or La Niña. In fact, most weather patterns are in or near neutral phases, ironically making it more difficult to forecast seasonal weather. As of now, it looks like weekend of June 21 and 22 is trending more dry than rainy. Fingers crossed. It all comes down to the timing of storm systems. Let's hope our luck changes and we snap the streak next weekend. Ken Mahan can be reached at
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Researchers keeping close eye on multiple factors that could influence hurricane season
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways With hurricane season on the horizon, researchers say they are keeping a close eye on a number of factors that could influence whether this hurricane season will brew up much tropical activity. One of those factors is the sea surface temperature, which is among the primary fuels for tropical development. Of initial interest, while plenty of warm water currently exists throughout the Gulf and the Caribbean, the water in the eastern Atlantic is cooler than it was this time last year, according to LSU professor and hurricane climatologist Jill Trepanier. Something A Bit Unusual Is Happening In The Tropics Less Than A Month Until Hurricane Season Begins "A lot of that has to do with the Bermuda High and trade winds really pushing warm ocean water to the west, and leaving upwelling from colder ocean water on the eastern side," Trepanier said. She noted that, while these conditions might not directly contribute to tropical development that will impact the Gulf and eastern coastlines, they may affect the development of storms near Africa. And it could warm the waters closer to home. "Because that warm water that would normally sit over the Main Development Region is being pushed closer to mainland (U.S.) and that's something that we want to be mindful of," Trepanier said. What's The Difference Between A Tropical Depression, Tropical Storm And Hurricane? Another factor to consider in the upcoming tropical season is that this will be an ENSO-neutral year. This means that neither El Niño, which is known to inhibit tropical development, nor La Niña, which can promote tropical development, will play much of a role. What Is A Neutral Pattern? "The neutral (ENSO) effectively means that things are just kind of, well, regular, kind of normal," she said. "And with that in mind, we can get really extreme events that happen in those years, even when the setup isn't exactly prime time. So I think it's important to keep an eye out, especially for those storms that form really close to a coastline, because they will have the energy available, and it won't necessarily matter whether El Niño or La Niña is in effect." Model ENSO forecast from February 2025. How To Watch Fox Weather Lastly, a factor that is a bit up in the air is Saharan dust, which blows off of the Saharan desert and into the Atlantic. Trepanier said it has the potential to limit tropical development as the dust sucks up the moisture tropical storms require to form. "I think what's important to realize is because those same winds that are pulling that warm ocean water to the west are going to be the same winds that impact the Sahara and pull that dust to the west as well," Trepanier said. "And if we do have dust present, it's likely to inhibit some formation of tropical cyclones and hurricanes in that space." Currently, the forecast models are conflicting about how much Saharan dust will play a role during hurricane season. "We'll certainly keep an eye on it," Trepanier said. The official start date for hurricane season is June 1, and the season runs through Nov. 30. Original article source: Researchers keeping close eye on multiple factors that could influence hurricane season
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Something a bit unusual is happening in the tropics with less than a month to go before hurricane season
With the countdown underway for the start of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season just one month away, there's an unusual sight unfolding in the tropics - one that hasn't been seen in several years. Instead of news about the ocean breaking temperature records, a large part of the Main Development Region has experienced water temperatures trending downward. In fact, the North Atlantic Ocean is approximately 2 degrees F cooler compared to this time last year, a factor that could significantly influence the development and intensity of tropical cyclones. According to a FOX Weather analysis, current ocean temperatures across the North Atlantic are comparable to values observed in 2019. While temperatures are still warmer than long-term averages from 1982 to 2010 and 1991 to 2020, they mark a noticeable shift from recent seasons that featured record-breaking heat. Interestingly, the 2019 hurricane season also occurred during a neutral status of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, meaning that temperatures in critical parts of the Pacific Ocean were around average. During the 2019 hurricane season, the Atlantic basin began the season with MDR values that were around average in June and July, but a significant warming trend in August and September helped fuel powerful hurricanes like Dorian and Humberto. Dorian was the strongest hurricane on record to impact the Bahamas with winds around 185 mph and Humberto was a powerful Category 3 while off the mid-Atlantic coast. 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season Guide: Here's What To Know About The Tropics This Year One significant factor is the persistent Bermuda High, which has been fairly steadfast and centered northeast of the island nation of Bermuda. The ridge has helped to strengthen easterly trade winds across the Atlantic, allowing for ocean upwelling and leading to a drop in sea surface temperatures. Evidence of a significant ridge has been all too apparent in Florida and the Southeast, where drier conditions have led to worsening drought conditions and an increase in wildfire activity. The same easterly flow has also contributed to encounters with marine life washing ashore, including Portuguese man-of-war, and a rise in dangerous rip currents, which have already led to several fatalities this spring. The big question now is: when will the ridge weaken and a pattern shift occur? A breakdown in the Bermuda High would likely reduce the strength of the trade winds, allowing ocean temperatures to rebound. However, current short term do not suggest any imminent changes. If the general pattern holds, the 2025 hurricane season may very well begin with large portions of the Atlantic basin featuring below-normal sea surface temperatures – a scenario that hasn't happened in several years. This could delay or even reduce early-season development, especially for disturbances emerging from the Cabo Verde region off the west coast of Africa. It's worth noting that despite cooler anomalies in parts of the Atlantic, other regions remain warm enough to support tropical cyclone formation. The southern Gulf and the Caribbean Sea, for example, typically maintain water temperatures in the upper 70s or warmer year-round – waters that are warm enough to support tropical cyclone activity. Here's A First Look At How Busy Hurricane Activity Could Be In The Eastern Pacific A common early-season catalyst is the Central American Gyre - a broad area of low pressure that often forms over the Americas in late spring and early summer. The gyre can spawn tropical cyclones in either the eastern Pacific or western Atlantic basin, where water temperatures aren't a limiting factor. Once the gyre dissipates, typically by mid to late summer, meteorologists turn their attention eastward to the MDR for the possibility of tropical cyclone development. But if sea surface temperatures remain suppressed in the region, the season could feature a delayed ramp-up in significant tropical activity. That said, weather patterns are known to shift rapidly - and sometimes without clear model guidance - so that is why forecasters encourage everyone in hurricane impact zones to prepare before the season arrives. The first named storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season will be Andrea, followed by Barry, Chantal and Dexter. The name Dexter replaces Dorian, which was retired after the 2019 article source: Something a bit unusual is happening in the tropics with less than a month to go before hurricane season
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
May Outlook: Above average temperatures with equal chances for rain
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) —As we wrap up the month of April, we can now start looking forward to May and it looks like the same warm pattern that we have had the last several weeks will continue into the new month. According to NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, temperatures across Alabama and Georgia will most likely run a few degrees above average for May 2025. This likely means that there will still be a few days that dip below average or 'normal' for this time of the year but a majority of the time we will be on the warm side of things. Normal high temperatures for the month typically run from the low 80s at the beginning to the upper 80s by the end. A greater chance of above average temperatures for portions of southern Alabama, southern Georgia and the Florida panhandle. For precipitation, the May 2025 outlook shows near normal conditions for both Alabama and Georgia. This means that there is no strong lean towards a wet or dry trend, this leaves room for a little bit of everything. We could see a few days with showers and storms to periods of dryness. May is typically a transitional month for us as we begin to shift from our spring pattern to our summer pattern. The Bermuda High begins to set up across the Atlantic and major storm systems will go up and around us, this often starts to take shape the second to third week of May and lasting through the summer Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
