Tropical Storm Idalia Moves Away from North Carolina

Tropical Storm Idalia moved away from North Carolina on Thursday. At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Idalia was located at latitude 33.6°N and longitude 74.8°W which put it about 120 miles (195 km) southeast of Cape Lookout, North Carolina. Idalia was moving toward the east at 20 m.p.h. (32 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 994 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Surf City, North Carolina to the North Carolina/Virginia border. The Tropical Storm Warning included Pamlico Sound and Albemarle Sound.

Tropical Storm Idalia was moving quickly away from North Carolina on Thursday afternoon. An upper level trough over the east coast of the U.S. was producing strong westerly winds that were blowing across the top of Idalia’s circulation. Those winds were causing strong vertical wind shear and they were blew the top of Idalia’s circulation away from circulation in the lower levels of the atmosphere. Drier air wrapped into the southern and eastern parts of Tropical Storm Idalia. As a result of the strong vertical wind shear and the drier air, the bands revolving around the center of Idalia’s circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 200 miles (320 km) from the center of circulation.

Tropical Storm Idalia will move through an environment unfavorable for intensification during the next 36 hours. Idalia will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. However, the upper level trough over the east coast of the U.S. will continue to cause strong vertical wind shear. The strong vertical wind shear and drier air are likely to cause Tropical Storm Idalia to weaken during the next 36 hours. Idalia could exhibit many of the characteristics of an extratropical cyclone.

The upper level trough over the east coast of the U.S. will steer Tropical Storm Idalia toward the east during the next 36 hours. On its anticipated track, Idalia will move quickly away from North Carolina. Tropical Storm Idalia will approach Bermuda during the weekend.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Franklin moved farther away from Bermuda and Tropical Storm Jose developed over the Central Atlantic. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Franklin was located at latitude 35.1°N and longitude 61.6°W which put it about 265 miles (430 km) northeast of Bermuda. Franklin was moving toward the east-northeast at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 965 mb.

At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Storm Jose was located at latitude 29.7°N and longitude 52.1°W which put it about 770 miles (1245 km) east of Bermuda. Jose was moving toward the north at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1010 mb.