Atlantic has simmered down... Hermine gaining strength

The last couple of weeks have sure been exciting and nerve-racking. Danielle never really posed a threat to the U.S., but did it ever look beautiful on satellite images. On the other hand, Hurricane Earl, had people up and down the East Coast from the Carolinas to Nova Scotia. Thankfully the storm decided to stay far enough from shore to make landfall, yet its effects were still felt, with tropical storm force winds being felt in portions of East Coast, mainly North Carolina and Massachusetts. Earl would weaken into a strong tropical storm as it slammed into Nova Scotia.

After Earl, the other storms have not done too well. Fiona and Gaston had formed while Earl was knocking on our door. Fiona would be lifted north and weaken as it was sheared apart, in part by Hurricane Earl. T.S. Gaston showed great promise but ran into a region of dry air, being downgraded back to a tropical wave. Gaston could still re-develop, and is expected too as it heads towards the Caribbean. This storm will need to bare watching in the coming week.

Many storms have been coming via Africa, also known as Cape Verde storms. So, naturally, with the wave train of low pressure systems rolling off the continent continuously, our focus as been on these storms. But, all of a sudden, Hermine has developed in the Western Gulf of Mexico. Hermine has developed into a TC, and could possibly strengthen to hurricane status before all is said and done. Landfall is expected later today in the Texas/Mexico border, as it picks up its forward velocity. The only factor in whether Hermine will be a hurricane or not, is the time spent in the waters before landfall. Hurricane watches have been posted in Southern Texas, with the possibility of Hermine becoming a Category 1 storm.