BE PREPARED! Be alert!

It is Monday 30 June 2014! We are coming up on the first 30 days of the 2014 Atlantic Hurricane season and the 47th day of the 2014 (East) Pacific Hurricane season.

Water-vapor-filter satellite image mosaic (NOAA) of 30 June 2014 showing the Atlantic basin and ‘Hurricane Alley’, as well as Equatorial Africa and the western Indian Ocean

The Atlantic basin has been rather quiet so far, but Florida has been “under the influence” of disturbed weather systems coming in from the Gulf of Mexico, the extreme northwestern Caribbean, or from ‘mainland USA’ as large storms over Texas and the southern portion of the country have affected our state as well. Florida has seen its share of extreme rain and thunderstorms over the past few weeks, from the panhandle to South Beach and the Keys.

Visible light GOES satellite image of 30 June 2014 in the morning showing the low pressure system off the east coast of Florida slowly moving SSW, showing some spiraling of rain bands toward the center of low pressure

Currently a low pressure system that has been sliding along the Florida coastline in the general direction of Southeast Florida is starting to show some potential cyclonic characteristics, and the possibility for further organization and strengthening as it comes into a favorable environment. It would appear the region is in for a couple of days of rough weather toward the middle of the week.

Water-vapor satellite mosaic image (NOAA) of 30 June 2014 showing Tropical Storm DOUGLAS off the coast of Mexico and a companion ‘chasing’ low pressure system nearer to the coast. Other features shown include a large storm cell in the Gulf of Panama and a train of tropical activity extending the length of the Pacific and beyond into the South China Sea

Also currently, Tropical Storm DOUGLAS, the fourth-named tropical cyclone of the 2014 season is near the Pacific coast of Mexico moving NW away from land. DOUGLAS is chased by a low pressure system closer to the coastline, which appears to be strengthening. Both of these systems are generating plenty of rain and thunderstorms over a wide region from central to southern Mexico.

Back in the Atlantic basin we are continuing to see a more  continuous presence of storms, disturbed weather cells, and tropical waves along ‘hurricane alley’, which had ever so slightly continued to shift northward. But, on the other hand, production of tropical waves in the ‘assembly line’ in Equatorial Africa has been somewhat spotty, so there is no steady and reliable supply of ‘cyclone seeds’ for hurricane alley.

Let’s wait and see how these various systems evolve in coming days, or what new systems may develop.  While doing this we must remain alert, be prepared, and always continue to practice mitigation!