Tag Archives: Hurricane Nigel

Low Pressure System Prompts Tropical Storm Warnings for Mid-Atlantic Coast

A low pressure system formed over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the southeast U.S. on Thursday morning. The U.S. National Hurricane Center designated the low pressure system as Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen and issued Tropical Storm Warnings for portions of the Mid-Atlantic coast. At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen was located at latitude 29.0°N and longitude 75.9°W which put it about 430 miles (690 km) south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen was moving toward the north at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 1012 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from Cape Fear, North Carolina to Fenwick Island, Delaware. The Tropical Storm Warning included Albemarle Sound and Pamlico Sound. A Tropical Storm Warning was also in effect for Chesapeake Bay south of Smith Point.

A low pressure system formed over the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the southeast U.S. on Thursday morning. The low pressure system formed as an extratropical cyclone. There was a large counterclockwise circulation around the low pressure system. There was not a well formed, distinct low level center of the circulation. Thunderstorms were occurring in a band that wrapped around the eastern and northern side of the low pressure systems. Fragmented bands in other parts of the circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen will move through an environment favorable for intensification of an extratropical cyclone during the next 24 hours. The low pressure system will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C. It will move under the eastern side of an upper level trough over the eastern U.S. The upper level trough will produce southwesterly winds that will blow across the top of Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen. Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear. However, the flow of air in the upper levels will also provide divergence aloft that will pump mass away from the surface low pressure system. The removal of mass will cause the surface pressure to decrease. Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen is likely to intensify during the next 24 hours. The low pressure system could make a transition to a tropical storm later on Friday when it moves over the warmer water in the Gulf Stream.

The upper level trough over the eastern U.S. will steer Potential Tropical Cyclone Sixteen toward the north during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track Potential Tropical Cyclone will approach the coast of North Carolina on Friday night. The low pressure system will bring gusty winds and locally heavy rain to eastern North Carolina, eastern Virginia, southeastern Maryland and southern Delaware. The gusty winds will blow water toward the coast. A storm surge of up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) could occur in some locations. Large waves will cause significant beach erosion. Locally heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Nigel was speeding toward the northeast as it passed southeast of Newfoundland. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Nigel was located at latitude 42.2°N and longitude 45.0°W which put it about 505 miles (815 km) southeast of Cape Race,, Newfoundland. Nigel was moving toward the northeast at 30 m.p.h. (48 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 100 m.p.h. (160 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 977 mb.

Hurricane Nigel Moves North

Hurricane Nigel moved toward the north of the central Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Hurricane Nigel was located at latitude 37.4°N and longitude 53.0°W which put it about 755 miles (1215 km) east-northeast of Bermuda. Nigel was moving toward the north-northeast at 18 m.p.h. (30 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 105 m.p.h. (165 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 973 mb.

A large, circular eye with a diameter of 70 miles (110 km) was at the center of Hurricane Nigel on Wednesday afternoon. The eye was surrounded by a broken ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the large core of Nigel’s circulation. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the north of the hurricane. Winds to hurricane force extended out 60 miles (95 km) from the center of Nigel’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 160 miles (260 km) from the center of circulation.

Hurricane Nigel will move through an environment that will be unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Nigel will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are cooler than 26°C. An upper level trough over the East Coast of the U.S. will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Nigel’s circulation. Those winds will cause the vertical wind shear to increase. More wind shear and cooler water will cause Hurricane Nigel to weaken on Thursday. The vertical wind shear and cooler water will also cause Hurricane Nigel to start a transition to a strong extratropical cyclone.

The upper level trough over the East Coast of the U.S. will steer Hurricane Nigel toward the northeast during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, NIgel will pass far to the southeast of Newfoundland.

Hurricane Nigel Strengthens East of Bermuda

Hurricane Nigel strengthened over the Atlantic Ocean east of Bermuda on Tuesday afternoon. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Hurricane Nigel was located at latitude 31.8°N and longitude 54.7°W which put it about 590 miles (955 km) east of Bermuda. Nigel was moving toward the north-northwest 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 974 mb.

A large, circular eye with a diameter of 60 miles (95 km) was at the center of Hurricane Nigel on Tuesday afternoon. The eye was surrounded by a ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the core of Nigel’s circulation. Storms near the core generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the north of the hurricane. Winds to hurricane force extended out 60 miles (95 km) from the center of Nigel’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 175 miles (280 km) from the center of circulation.

Hurricane Nigel will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours. Nigel will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 27°C. It will move under the western part of an upper level ridge over the central Atlantic Ocean. The upper level ridge will produce southerly winds that will blow toward the top of Nigel’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear and the shear will inhibit intensification. Tropical Storm Nigel could strengthen on Wednesday. An upper level trough over the eastern U.S. will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Nigel’s circulation later this week. Those winds will cause the vertical wind shear to increase. More wind shear will cause Hurricane Nigel to weaken later this week.

Hurricane Nigel will move around the western part of a high pressure system over the eastern Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Nigel toward the north during the next 24 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Nigel will stay far east of Bermuda. The upper level trough over the eastern U.S. will steer Nigel toward the northeast later this week.

Nigel Strengthens to a Hurricane

Former Tropical Storm Nigel strengthened to a hurricane over the Central Atlantic Ocean on Monday. At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Hurricane Nigel was located at latitude 26.5°N and longitude 50.7°W which put it about 935 miles (1510 km) east-southeast of Bermuda. Nigel was moving toward the northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 95 m.p.h. (150 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 984 mb.

The circulation around Hurricane Nigel exhibited more organization on Monday morning. The inner end of a rainband wrapped around the center of Nigel’s circulation. A broken ring of thunderstorms surrounded the center of circulation and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms. Bands of showers and thunderstorms were revolving around the center of Hurricane Nigel. Storms near the center generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the hurricane. Winds to hurricane force extended out 25 miles (40 km) from the center of Nigel’s circulation. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 160 miles (260 km) from the center.

Hurricane Nigel will move through an environment favorable for intensification during the next 36 hours. Nigel will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 29°C. It will move under the axis of an upper level ridge over the Central Atlantic Ocean. The upper level winds are weak near the axis of the upper level ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear. Hurricane Nigel will intensify during the next 36 hours. Nigel could intensify rapidly at times. Nigel could strengthen to a major hurricane on Tuesday.

Hurricane Nigel will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system over the eastern Atlantic Ocean. The high pressure system will steer Nigel toward the northwest during the next 36 hours. On its anticipated track, Hurricane Nigel will remain over the Central Atlantic Ocean during the early part of this week.