Tropical Storm forms in 'quite unusual' start to hurricane season
By Terry Eliasen, WBZ-TV Meteorologist, Executive Weather Producer
The Tropical Atlantic Hurricane season is off and running.
As of 11 a.m. on Monday there was "tropical depression #3" way out in the eastern Atlantic.
The storm was currently more than 1,400 miles east of the Windward Islands.
This is quite unusual in June. Typically, any tropical systems that form this early in the season are found in the Gulf of Mexico or Bahamas area where ocean temperatures get off to a warmer start.
Take a look at the current sea surface temperatures! We are already seeing many areas in the Caribbean and Gulf between 85-90 degrees - something you typically see in August and September.
Ocean temperatures in the entire main development region for tropical Atlantic systems are running several degrees above average this year. This warm water is fuel for tropical systems to develop. They typically thrive off of waters 80 degrees or higher.
In a "normal" year, the long-track tropical waves off of Africa don't usually get going until August and September, when sea surface temperatures peak. But this year, all bets are off.
By 5 p.m., it strengthened to a tropical storm.
Current forecasts from the National Hurricane Center have it strengthening into a hurricane (Bret) by the end of the week as it nears the eastern Caribbean Islands.
Only one storm in the tropical Atlantic (this far south and east) has gone on to become a hurricane in June, and it occurred nearly 100 years ago in 1933.
So, does this mean we are in for an active hurricane season this summer? Perhaps.
The warm ocean certainly would indicate that possibility. However, with an El Nino coming on this summer, typically that creates a lot of wind shear in the Tropics, an environment not conducive to tropical development.
We shall see. . .
For now, it does not appear as though this developing tropical system will have a direct impact on our area, but, of course, we will keep a close eye on it in the coming days.
