Could We See Tropical Storm Ana Develop This Week?

August 10, 2009 – The Tropical Atlantic basin is showing some signs of life after a very inactive June and July 2009. Normally this is the case as you move into mid August through September. The tropical Atlantic basin hurricane season peaks around September 10th each summer and will end November 30, 2009.

Tropical Depression 2
Update: 6:00am ET – Tropical Depression Two developed early this morning the 11th of August, west of the Cape Verde Islands. The system could become our first named Tropical Storm Ana of the season in the next 24 hrs. -

Yesterday we began to monitor the newly labeled low pressure tropical wave Invest 99L that recently moved off the African coast. This wave is currently moving westward at around 10mph, and is located west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. It’s still too early as of this post to know if this will become a Tropical Depression in the next 24 hours or so, and possibly Tropical Storm Ana. Thunderstorm activity with this system has become more disorganized today, and the system seems to be interacting with drier air to it’s north and some moderate wind shear. Will continue to monitor the wave for further signs of development if it survives the next few days as it is forecast to continue westward.

Tropical Wave Caribbean Invest -

This afternoon the National Hurricane Center began taking a closer look at a small tropical wave with associated low pressure located just to the east and/or over the Windward Islands in the eastern Caribbean. Right now this has a low percentage for development during the next 48 hrs as it moves westward at 10-15mph into the Caribbean Sea. Convection has increased somewhat with the system today, and it will be interesting to see if it can maintain it overnight. This also could become something to monitor for tropical storm development if it organizes further.

Tropical Weather Heating Up After Long Lull -

We’re getting into that time of the hurricane season when typically things ramp up from the normally slower months of June and July. You’ll likely see more tropical weather related posts and content on the site the next several weeks as we move into the more active part of the season. We’re always standing by for hurricane chase interceptions, and will once again continue it this season, so be sure to check back often when there is activity in the tropical Atlantic Ocean basin.

Numerous Golden Silk Banana Spiders Video – Jupiter Florida

August 9, 2009 – We were surprised to find a extremely large population of Florida Golden Silk (Banana) Spiders, amongst the Sea Grape trees on Jupiter Beach, Florida this weekend. When I say large population, I mean a significantly large amount of spiders. I’m talking several thousands lining the tops of the Sea Grape canopy and surrounding Coconut Palm Tree’s. There was spider webs everywhere I looked, over my head, all along the trail down to the beach, and they seemed to overlap each other.

Kersten couldn’t take it anymore, and took off back to the car. I’m not a fan of spiders either, but I had to capture some of these scenes because it was so impressive to me. So many spiders in a small area, just hanging around in the afternoon sea breeze winds off the Atlantic Ocean. I could of spent hours trying to film them all, but I shot about 25 or so for this two minute video. I plan to return this upcoming week to the same location, and shoot some South Florida spider photography to go along with my HD video.

Note: If you have a fear of spiders, you may not want to view this video.

Related Posts:
Brown Recluse Spider Ramps Up Anxiety This Morning

Chased Some Elegant South Florida Pulse-Storms Pictures

August 5, 2009 – Another round of isolated seabreeze induced lightning storms developed on Tuesday afternoon, which kept me entertained for a few hours. A combination of the lake and east coast breeze boundaries coming together, set off several storms that tracked very slowly southward along the boundary.

(Above pictures) – This was the first storm of the afternoon to develop, and it helped to enhance the Lake Okeechobee breeze boundary to sharpen up with it‘s outflow boundary the tracked north. It formed a impressive back sheared anvil as the storm developed into it’s mature stage. It made for some nice classic South Florida style pulse thunderstorm cloud structure. I love the deep blue skies with the white vivid storm crown. Very beautiful indeed.

(Above picture ) – By late afternoon, a new thunderstorm cell formed over the extreme eastern portions of Okeechobee County and western St Lucie County, FL. This storm actually went severe for a short time, and was warned on by the National Weather Service Office in Melbourne for damaging winds and small hail. The cell very slowly propagated southward down the established boundary and continued to back build into Martin County. There was very vivid cloud-to-ground lightning associated with this storm, and well defined heavy rain cores with some nice rain curtains.

Also earlier that morning, (photograph left), as I was driving along I-95 in Palm Beach County, there was this isolated coastal shower near or over Jupiter, FL. It developed a interesting crown, with surrounding deep blue skies on a beautiful South Florida early August morning. The structure of this little weak shower, with it’s wimpy anvil, just caught my eye and I stopped for a picture. Even the littlest cloud features can grab my attention. All in all, it turned out to by a typical mid-summer day, with classic sea breeze style showers and storms over the southern Florida peninsula. I love chasing massive Supercell thunderstorms in Tornado Alley, but I’ll always love from Florida convection in the summertime wet season. I grew up on it, and it lives with me. I hope you enjoyed my weather views for the day on Tuesday.

Kersten and I Enjoying A Mid Summer Day On The Coast

August 3, 2009 – Kersten and I enjoyed a nice afternoon along the beach in Jupiter, Florida. J.J. has been away the last several weeks visiting his family in Las Vegas, and we decided to just take off for the day and hang around along the coast.

After spending several hours driving and walking around, we took the long drive up US1 to Stuart, FL, where we had dinner at one of our favorite little barbeque restaurants. It was a great day of relaxing and taking in the sights we take for granted way to much. We live in this beautiful tropical paradise of South Florida, and sometimes you just need to stop and check out your local surroundings and enjoy them. It was a nice way to kick off August.

Sea Breeze Pulse Thunderstorms Move Into August

August 4, 2009 – Sea breeze lightning storms continued on Monday over the interior regions of central and South Florida. This Highlands, County storm put on a nice mature thunderstorm structure show, as it tilted in the stronger northeasterly mid to upper-level winds.

The rainy season continues across the Sunshine State as it normally would for this time of year. Sea breeze boundaries the last week have focused storm development further over the spine of the Florida peninsula.

By late afternoon into the evening hours, east and west coast sea breeze boundaries, including other mesoscale boundaries, collide creating short-lived pulse storms. Sometimes they become severe for a short period, and propagate down the boundaries lasting well into the late evening hours.

Here is another storm from earlier in the day located in Martin County, FL. This view shows a beautiful thunderstorm anvil with some mammatus. This storms outflow boundary helped to fire off the more widespread storms later in the day west of the Kissimmee River basin.

Space Shuttle Endeavour STS-127 Sonic Booms Florida

August 2, 2009 – On July 31, 2009 at about 10:40am ET – The landing flight path for the latest Space Shuttle Endeavour STS-127 mission, was planned to be coming in from the south end of South Florida and fly right between the eastern shore of Lake Okeechobee and the Florida east coast. I was able to film the Sonic Booms as Endeavour went by moments before touching down at Kennedy Space Center. Turn up those speakers!

« Previous Page