Tag Archives: Tropical Depression Fifteen-E

Norbert Weakens to a Tropical Depression

Former Tropical Storm Norbert weakened to a tropical depression as it moved over the Central North Pacific Ocean on Monday evening.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Depression Norbert was located at latitude 20.2°N and longitude 140.5°W which put the center about 950 miles (1525 km) east of Hilo, Hawaii.  Norbert was moving toward the west-northwest at 15 m.p.h. (24 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 1006 mb.

Former Tropical Storm Norbert weakened to a tropical depression on Monday evening.  Drier air caused many of the thunderstorms in Tropical Depression Norbert to weaken on Monday.  A few thunderstorms were still occurring in bands on the periphery of Norbert’s circulation.  Many of the bands revolving around the center of Tropical Depression Norbert consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  Since there were few thunderstorms near the center of Norbert, there was very little upper level divergence.  Convergence of mass in the lower levels of the atmosphere caused the surface pressure to increase on Monday.

Tropical Depression Norbert will move through an environment that will be unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Norbert will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 26°C.  An upper level low that is northeast of Hawaii will continue to produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Norbert’s circulation.  Those winds will continue to cause moderate vertical wind shear.  Norbert will also continue to move through a mass of drier air that is east of Hawaii.  Tropical Depression Norbert is likely to continue to weaken on Tuesday because of the moderate vertical wind shear and the drier air.

Tropical Depression Norbert will move around the southern part of a high pressure system that is over the Central North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Norbert toward the west during the next 24 hours,  On its anticipated track, Tropical Depression Norbert will still be far to the east of Hawaii on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, Tropical Depression Fifteen-E continued to move farther away from Baja California.

At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Depression Fifteen-E was located at latitude 16.5°N and longitude 121.6°W which put the center about 880 miles (1415 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  The tropical depression was moving toward the west at 10 m.p.h. (16 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 Norbert Still Moving West

Tropical Storm Norbert was still moving west toward the Central North Pacific Ocean on Sunday evening.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Storm Norbert was located at latitude 19.2°N and longitude 135.3°W which put the center about 1290 miles (2075 km) east of Hilo, Hawaii.  Norbert was moving toward the west-northwest at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1002 mb.

Tropical Storm Norbert did not change much on Sunday.  The distribution of thunderstorms in Norbert continued to be asymmetrical.  Thunderstorms were still occurring in bands in the eastern side of Norbert’s circulation.  Bands in the western half of Tropical Storm Norbert consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  Storms near the center of Norbert still generated some upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm.  The removal of mass in the upper levels was nearly equal to the convergence of mass in the lower levels of the atmosphere.  So, the surface pressure remained steady on Sunday.

The asymmetrical distribution of thunderstorms in Tropical Storm Norbert also affected the distribution of wind speeds.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 105 miles (165 km) in the northern half of Norbert’s circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force only extended out 35 miles (55 km) in the southern side of Tropical Storm Norbert.

Tropical Storm Norbert will move through an environment that will be mostly unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Norbert will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 26°C.  An upper level low that is northeast of Hawaii will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Norbert’s circulation.  Those winds will continue to cause moderate vertical wind shear.  Norbert will also continue to move through the mass of drier air that is east of Hawaii.  Tropical Storm Norbert is unlikely to intensify on Monday because of the moderate vertical wind shear and the drier air.

Tropical Storm Norbert will move around the southern part of a high pressure system that is over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer Norbert toward the west during the next 24 hours,  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Norbert will still be far to the east of Hawaii on Monday.

Elsewhere, Tropical Depression Fifteen-E formed southwest of Baja California.

At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Depression Fifteen-E was located at latitude 17.0°N and longitude 118.3°W which put the center about 680 miles (1095 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  The tropical depression was moving toward the west at 10 m.p.h. (16 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 1006 mb.

Tropical Depression 16E Forms, Flood Risk for Mexico

Tropical Depression Sixteen-E formed south of Mexico on Wednesday morning.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Depression Sixteen-E was located at latitude 16.2°N and longitude 101.7°W which put it about 105 miles (165 km) south of Zihuatanejo, Mexico.  It was moving toward the north-northeast at 5 m.p.h. (8 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 1006 mb.

A Tropical Storm Watch was issued for the portion of the coast from Zihuatanejo to Punta Maldonado, Mexico.

A distinct center of circulation formed in a cluster of thunderstorms south of Mexico and that National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Depression Sixteen-E on Wednesday morning.  The circulation of the depression was still organizing.  Several bands of showers and thunderstorms were developing south and east of the center of circulation.  There were fewer showers and thunderstorms in the northwestern quadrant of the circulation and the depression may have been pulling in drier air from Mexico.

The depression has 12 to 18 hours to strengthen before it makes landfall on the coast of Mexico.  It will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  An upper level trough extends from the eastern U.S. to Mexico.  The trough is producing westerly winds which are blowing toward the top of the circulation.  Those winds are generating moderate wind vertical shear, which will inhibit intensification.  Tropical Depression Sixteen-E could strengthen into a tropical storm before it reaches the coast of Mexico.

The upper level trough is forecast to steer Tropical Depression Sixteen-E toward the east.  On its anticipated track the depression could make landfall east of Zihuatanejo in less than 24 hours.  The depression will bring gusty winds, but heavy rain poses a greater threat.  Heavy rain falling in steeper terrain could cause flash floods.

Elsewhere over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean, Tropical Depression Fifteen-E was moving farther away from Mexico.  Tropical Depression Fifteen-E formed when momentum from the upper half of the circulation of former Hurricane Katia spun up a new surface circulation over the Eastern North Pacific.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Depression Fifteen-E was located at latitude 14.9°N and longitude 120.6°W which put it about 890 miles (1435 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  It was moving toward the west 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 1004 mb.