Tag Archives: Tropical Storm Lane

Tropical Depression Thirteen-E Strengthens to Tropical Storm Lane

Former Tropical Depression Thirteen-E strengthened to Tropical Storm Lane during Friday night.  At 5:00 a.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Lane was located at latitude 11.1°N and longitude 129.5°W which put the center about 1525 miles (2455 km) west-southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  Lane was moving toward the west 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 1005 mb.

The circulation around formed Tropical Depression Thirteen-E strengthened during Friday night and the U.S. National Hurricane center designated the system as Tropical Storm Lane.  The distribution of thunderstorms in Tropical Storm Lane was asymmetrical.  The inner end of a band of thunderstorms wrapped around the northern side of the center of Lane’s circulation.  Bands in the southern side of Tropical Storm Lane consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  Storms near the center of Lane generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away to the east of the tropical storm.

The strongest winds in Tropical Storm Lane were occurring in the band of thunderstorms north of the center of circulation.  Winds to tropical storm force were occurring out to 45 miles (75 km) in the northern side of Lane’s circulation.  The winds in the southern side of Tropical Storm Lane were blowing at less than tropical storm force.

Tropical Storm Lane will move through an environment that will be only marginally favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Lane will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 28°C.  It will move under the southeastern part of an upper trough east of Hawaii.  The upper level ridge will produce southwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Lane’s circulation.  Those winds will cause the vertical wind shear to increase.  The wind shear will inhibit intensification, but Tropical Storm Lane could intensify a little more during the next 12 hours.  The upper level trough will cause the vertical wind shear to increase even more on Sunday, which will cause Lane to weaken

Tropical Storm Lane will move south of a high pressure system over the Eastern North Pacific Ocean.  The high pressure system will steer the Lane toward the west during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Lane will move remain far from any land areas.

Weakening Tropical Storm Lane Moves Away from Hawaii

A weakening Tropical Storm Lane moved away from Hawaii on Saturday.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday the center of Tropical Storm Lane was located at latitude 19.5°N and longitude 160.2°W which put it about 195 miles (310 km) southwest of Honolulu, Hawaii.  Lane was moving toward the west at 9 m.p.h. (15 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 998 mb.  All Tropical Storm Warnings and Watches for the Hawaiian Islands have been discontinued.

An upper level trough west of the Hawaiian Islands produced strong southwesterly winds which blew the upper portion of the circulation of former Hurricane Lane off the lower part of the circulation.  Tropical Storm Lane consisted primarily of a well develop low level circulation of bands of showers and lower clouds.  A few thunderstorms continued to develop in outer bands on the eastern side of the circulation.

Since Tropical Storm Lane exists primarily in the lower levels of the atmosphere, it is being steered westward by a subtropical ridge over the Central Pacific Ocean.  A general westerly motion is forecast during the next several days.  The upper level trough will continue to cause strong vertical wind shear and Tropical Storm Lane will continue to weaken.

Tropical Storm Lane Forms Southwest of Baja Califonia

Tropical Storm Lane formed southwest of Baja California on Wednesday morning.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Wednesday the center of Tropical Storm Lane was located at latitude 10.7°N and longitude 123.6°E which put it about 1235 miles (1990 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California.  Lane was loving toward the west at 14 m.p.h. (22 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 1006 mb.

A distinct low level center of circulation formed on Wednesday morning within a tropical wave southwest of Baja California.  The National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Lane when more thunderstorms formed near the center of circulation.  The circulation of Tropical Storm Lane was organizing quickly.  Thunderstorms were developing around the center of circulation.  Bands of showers and thunderstorms began to form and to revolve around the core of Tropical Storm Lane.  Storms in the core started to generate upper level divergence which was pumping mass away from the tropical storm in all directions.

Tropical Storm Lane will move through an environment very favorable for intensification.  Lane will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 28°C.  It will move through an area where the upper level winds are weak and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Tropical Storm Lane will intensify and it could become a hurricane within 36 hours.  When an eye forms and the core of the circulation is well established, Lane could intensify rapidly and it could strengthen into a major hurricane by the weekend.

Tropical Storm Lane will move south of the subtropical ridge over the Eastern North Pacific.  The ridge will steer Lane westward.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Lane will move farther away from Baja California and in the general direction of Hawaii.