Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog

Kyle pulls its punch; Laura forms

Posted by: Dr. Jeff Masters, 2:10 PM GMT en Septiembre 29, 2008

Hurricane Kyle raced ashore over southwestern Nova Scotia last night at about 9 pm AST, rated as a Category 1 hurricane with 75 mph winds and a 985 mb pressure. Kyle did generate one hurricane force wind gust--77 mph at Baccaro Point, on the extreme southernmost point of Nova Scotia--but it is questionable whether it really was a hurricane over Nova Scotia. Kyle weakened dramatically right at landfall. The storm passed just west of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, which measured a pressure of 988 mb at 9 pm AST last night. Even though Yarmouth was on the strong (right) side of Kyle where the highest winds should have been, the airport measured top winds of only 30 mph, gusting to 50 mph. Not even minor damage was reported there, according to news reports. Buoy 44038, which also measured a 988 mb pressure, but was located on the weak (left) side of Kyle as it came ashore, measured top sustained winds of 36 mph. Kyle generated some very high waves offshore--waves heights of 36 feet were observed at Buoy 44011 about 200 miles east of Hyannis, MA yesterday afternoon. Kyle caused minor flooding in Maine, where up to seven inches of rain was reported in Hancock County (Figure 1). Several roads flooded, but no rivers reached flood stage in Maine.

Figure 1. Estimated rainfall from Hurricane Kyle. Isolated rain amounts up to seven inches were reported in Maine.

Figure 2. Radar image of Kyle as it approached St. John, New Brunswick. Image credit: Environment Canada.

Yucatan disturbance
Thunderstorms associated with a low pressure system over the Yucatan Peninsula and the adjacent Western Caribbean waters have diminished today, and tropical storm formation is not likely in this region through Tuesday. A moist flow of tropical air will continue along a trough of low pressure extending from the Yucatan Peninsula over South Florida for the next two days, bringing rainfall amounts of up to two inches over much of South Florida. Late this week, the NOGAPS, UKMET, and ECMWF models predict a tropical depression may form over the Western Caribbean.

Subtropical Storm Laura
Subtropical Storm Laura formed this morning over the middle North Atlantic, but is not a threat to any land areas. Visible satellite images show that Laura has most of its heavy thunderstorm activity in a band removed several hundred miles from the center, a trait characteristic of subtropical storms. However, Laura is over waters of about 26°C, which is warm enough to support a fully tropical storm. Indeed, the latest satellite images show heavy thunderstorms beginning to wrap around the center, and Laura could be a hurricane by Tuesday morning. By Wednesday, Laura should get caught up by the jet stream and recurved out to sea without affecting any land areas.

Figure 3. Latest satellite image of Laura.

I'll have an update on the Hurricane Ike portlight.org charity relief efforts in my next post, which will be Tuesday morning.

Jeff Masters

Hurricane Kyle's Wave Action@ Easton's Beach # 12 (RIWXPhoto)

After being knocked around early on by Hurricane Kyle-induced waves, this guy decided to give it up!

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951. npenta519 1:48 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Quoting NEwxguy: actually like to see some for christmas Not unheard of. But yeah, would be nice and pretty. The first snowfall is all I can take. It looks so white and peaceful. And then I wake up and have to drive with 1400 other people who have forgotten what NE in winter is like. Then I'm just wishing for April to come.

952. Drakoen 1:48 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Shear naturally increases with the troughs coming down. The season doesn't wind down for the U.S.A because those same troughs are pulling the storms that form in the Caribbean poleward were they typically accelerate eastward. Member Since: Octubre 28, 2006 Posts: 57 Comments: 29010

954. Orcasystems 1:50 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Quoting sebastianflorida: And I need your permission to comment on retarded posts? If you want to have the ability to comment, you might want to be a bit more polite about it. Right now you are about one away from me not being able to see them. Member Since: Octubre 1, 2007 Posts: 77 Comments: 26077

956. conchygirl 1:55 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Quoting sebastianflorida: It has been a long season of seeing these idiotic posts from Taz, I try to ignore, but I guess I am drawn to them in amazement of how bad someone can be with spelling and grammar. When English is not your native language, there are more challenges. Member Since: Junio 11, 2008 Posts: 24 Comments: 5910

957. Orcasystems 1:55 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Quoting sebastianflorida: It has been a long season of seeing these idiotic posts from Taz, I try to ignore, but I guess I am drawn to them in amazement of how bad someone can be with spelling and grammar. then put him on ignore.. problem solved. Member Since: Octubre 1, 2007 Posts: 77 Comments: 26077

958. sebastianflorida 1:55 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
I said all I have to say about this subject. In fact, the season of storms is over! I must go and concentrate on other things for the next 10 months. BYE ALL Member Since: Agosto 5, 2007 Posts: 0 Comments: 509

959. NEwxguy 1:56 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Quoting Orcasystems: If you want to have the ability to comment, you might want to be a bit more polite about it. Right now you are about one away from me not being able to see them. He's already on my list,please don't quote him Member Since: Septiembre 6, 2007 Posts: 815 Comments: 13069

960. LakeShadow 1:57 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Quoting NEwxguy: well thats when you start your lake effect snows isn't it? umm...late October- Mid November on that. 2 Years ago the first LES event was Oct 12th... Member Since: Agosto 10, 2007 Posts: 3 Comments: 2134

962. LakeShadow 1:58 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
post 953 is ban worthy, IMO Member Since: Agosto 10, 2007 Posts: 3 Comments: 2134

963. Orcasystems 1:59 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Quoting LakeShadow: umm...late October- Mid November on that. 2 Years ago the first LES event was Oct 12th... I am praying for you lake..I have been asking for first week of October... I know how much you like the math :) Member Since: Octubre 1, 2007 Posts: 77 Comments: 26077

964. Orcasystems 1:59 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Quoting LakeShadow: post 953 is ban worthy, IMO Might be.. don't know.. can't see it :) Member Since: Octubre 1, 2007 Posts: 77 Comments: 26077

965. Cotillion 2:03 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
We don't typically have snow till January, and we haven't had a real good snowfall in a few years. Warming and all that! That said, instead of a lot of snow falling, we have it in weird periods. Just the other year, we had snow in late April. That was peculiar. Member Since: Agosto 23, 2008 Posts: 7 Comments: 5300

966. LakeShadow 2:03 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Quoting npenta519: Not unheard of. But yeah, would be nice and pretty. The first snowfall is all I can take. It looks so white and peaceful. And then I wake up and have to drive with 1400 other people who have forgotten what NE in winter is like. Then I'm just wishing for April to come. Ahh... winter driving short term memory! We suffer from that here in Buffalo. We can drive in 8 inches of snow and be ok. Its that 1st half inch that causes all the spin-offs and chain reation crashes on the freeway... cars in ditches all over the place...most of them 4x4 SUV's. Member Since: Agosto 10, 2007 Posts: 3 Comments: 2134

967. NEwxguy 2:07 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Quoting LakeShadow: Ahh... winter driving short term memory! We suffer from that here in Buffalo. We can drive in 8 inches of snow and be ok. Its that 1st half inch that causes all the spin-offs and chain reation crashes on the freeway... cars in ditches all over the place...most of them 4x4 SUV's. Got a job only 4 miles from home,don't have to deal with that too much any more. Member Since: Septiembre 6, 2007 Posts: 815 Comments: 13069

968. Chicklit 2:09 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Yes, winter is the time it's worthwhile to be living in the tropics! Here in Central Florida we get a few cold fronts, but generally, weather is mild and people-perfect. Member Since: Julio 11, 2006 Posts: 14 Comments: 10239

969. Orcasystems 2:10 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
new blog Member Since: Octubre 1, 2007 Posts: 77 Comments: 26077

970. npenta519 2:11 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Quoting NEwxguy: Got a job only 4 miles from home,don't have to deal with that too much any more. Lucky lucky. I drive all over hell and back, so yeah, I get it all the time. Accidents, spinouts, emergency personnel...I drive over a large area of MA and most of NH including the Lakes Region. It's so aggravating for those first few storms.

972. indianrivguy 2:13 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Quoting LakeShadow: Ahh... winter driving short term memory! We suffer from that here in Buffalo. We can drive in 8 inches of snow and be ok. Its that 1st half inch that causes all the spin-offs and chain reation crashes on the freeway... cars in ditches all over the place...most of them 4x4 SUV's. the good news is we play you in Toronto this year.. no friggen blizzards there anyway. :) cmon cooler weather. Member Since: Septiembre 23, 2006 Posts: 1 Comments: 1778

973. LakeShadow 2:15 PM GMT en Septiembre 30, 2008
Last year the first Snow was Nov 6th. Last snow of the year was March 20th. Only 4.5 months...not bad. Word has it that this year will be colder, though. last winter was rather mild with a lot of mid-winter thaws. I'm going to bet on snow from Oct - April this year. Mainly because Murphy and his laws dont like me and being pregnant and then soon lugging around an infant, its gonna be a brutal winter for sure. Member Since: Agosto 10, 2007 Posts: 3 Comments: 2134

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