Tag Archives: Mindy

Hurricane Larry Passes East of Bermuda

Hurricane Larry passed east of Bermuda on Thursday afternoon. At 2:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Hurricane Larry was located at latitude 32.9°N and longitude 62.0°W which put it about 170 miles (280 km) east-northeast of Bermuda. Larry was moving toward the north-northwest at 17 m.p.h. (28 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 966 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for Bermuda. A Hurricane Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from St. Schotts to Pouch Cove, Newfoundland. Tropical Storm Watches were in effect for the portions of the coast from Lamaline to St, Schotts, Newfoundland and from Pouch Cove to Bonavista, Newfoundland.

The center of Hurricane Larry passed east of Bermuda on Friday afternoon. Bands on the western edge of Larry’s circulation brought rain and gusty winds to Bermuda. Hurricane Larry was still a well organized hurricane. A circular eye was present at the center of Larry. 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 center of Hurricane Larry. Storms near the center of circulation generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the north of the hurricane.

The circulation around Hurricane Larry was large. Winds to hurricane force extended out 90 miles (145 km) from the center of Larry. Winds to tropical storm force extended out 220 miles (350 km) from the center of circulation. The Hurricane Intensity Index (HII) for Hurricane Larry was 13.9. The Hurricane Size Index (HSI) was 25.4 and the Hurricane Wind Intensity Size Index (HWISI) was 39.3.

Hurricane Larry will move through an environment that should allow it to maintain its intensity during the next 24 hours. Larry will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 28˚C. It will move around the eastern side of an upper level trough over the eastern U.S. The trough will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Larry’s circulation. Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear. However, the winds in the lower levels will also blow from the southwest. So, there will not be a lot of vertical wind shear. Hurricane Larry will move over cooler water when it moves north of the Gulf Stream on Friday. Larry will begin to make a transition to an extratropical cyclone when it gets north of the Gulf Stream.

The upper level trough over the eastern U.S. will steer Hurricane Larry toward the northeast. On its anticipated track Larry will move quickly away from Bermuda. Hurricane Larry could reach southeastern Newfoundland on Friday night. Larry will bring strong winds and locally heavy rain to parts of Newfoundland.

Elsewhere, former Tropical Storm Mindy dropped locally heavy rain over the southeast coast of the U.S. on Thursday morning. At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Thursday the center of Tropical Depression Mindy was located at latitude 31.5°N and longitude 80.7°W which put it about 45 miles (75 km) south-southeast of Savannah, Georgia. Mindy was moving toward the east-northeast at 21 m.p.h. (33 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 1005 mb.

Tropical Storm Mindy Forms near Florida Panhandle

Tropical Storm Mindy formed near the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday afternoon. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Storm Mindy was located at latitude 29.0°N and longitude 86.3°W which put it about 90 miles (145 km) west-southwest of Apalachicola, Florida. Mindy was moving toward the northeast at 21 m.p.h. (33 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 1008 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning was issued for the portion of the coast from Mexico Beach to the Steinhatchee River, Florida.

A surface low pressure system spun up quickly near the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday afternoon and the National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Mindy. More thunderstorms were forming near the center of Mindy. Storms near the center started to generate upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the northeast of the tropical storm. The removal of mass caused the surface pressure to decrease. NOAA buoy 42039 reported a sustained wind speed of 38 m.p.h. (61 km/h) and a wind gust of 51 m.p.h. (83 km/h) at 4:40 p.m. EDT. The buoy also reported a surface pressure of 1007.8 mb.

Tropical Storm Mindy could strengthen a little during the next few hours before it makes landfall on the coast of Northwest Florida. Mindy will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30˚C. It will move under the eastern side of an upper level low over the western Gulf of Mexico. The upper low will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Mindy’s circulation. Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear and the shear will limit potential intensification.

The upper level low will steer Tropical Storm Mindy quickly toward the northeast during the next 12 hours. On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Mindy will make landfall on the coast near Port St. Joe, Florida on Wednesday evening. Mindy will move more toward the east-northeast on Thursday when it reaches the westerly winds in the middle latitudes. Tropical Storm Mindy will produce gusty winds along the coast of Northwest Florida. Mindy could drop locally heavy rain over parts of northern Florida and southern Georgia. Flash Flood Watches are in effect for parts of northern Florida. Southerly winds on the eastern side of Tropical Storm Mindy will push waves toward the coast and some beach erosion is likely.

Elsewhere, Hurricane Larry moved closer to Bermuda on Wednesday afternoon. At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Hurricane Larry was located at latitude 28.9°N and longitude 59.2°W which put it about 405 miles (655 km) southeast of Bermuda. Larry was moving toward the northwest at 15 m.p.h. (24 km/h). The maximum sustained wind speed was 110 m.p.h. (175 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 130 m.p.h. (210 km/h). The minimum surface pressure was 966 mb. A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for Bermuda.