July 07, 2009 – Still Quiet in the Tropics

In recent years, we would already have posted at least one series of comments about a named Tropical Storm. However, this year, things are staying quiet. There are two main reasons for this at the moment. First, there is fairly cool water in the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone – That area which circles the earth near the Equator where the Northern and Southern ‘Trade Winds’ meet and where storm formation convection (atmospheric lifting) takes place. The other reason is that the upper level winds over the Gulf of Mexico and over the Central Caribbean, are fairly strong and moving rapidly. Whenever surface low pressure thunderstorms form, these upper level winds shear the top off of the storms and they loose the ability to strengthen.

As we get further into July, August and September, these upper level winds will most likely lessen in speed and that is part of the formula that creates Tropical Depressions and Tropical Storms.

We are on top of things and are monitoring the entire Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf basin for any signs of development and will let our viewers know when these systems occur – especially the one’s that may influence southern Alabama, the Panhandle of Florida and southeastern Mississippi.

For those who wish to do some interesting studies, please use this NOAA link below. Thank you, from the Tropical Storm Research Center in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=703