Last Friday afternoon, a large cluster of thunderstorms moved off the African coast at about 6N. During the weekend, the cluster got better organized and now has a 1010mb Low associated with it, which is now located at 7N 33W and tracking W at 20kts. It's embedded in light southeasterly shear, and the SSTs are marginal for intensification (if it can stay south of 10N until it gets to about 50W, SSTs will remain marginally favorable, otherwise, they get too cool). In the satellite imagery, one can clearly see a low-level circulation, an anticyclone aloft, and sustained cloud tops colder than -70C (these are all healthy for a developing storm). It's climatologically unfavorable to have a "Cape Verde" storm develop this early, but certainly not impossible. This name refers to the Cape Verde Islands at about 15N 25W, or a few hundred kilometers west of the African coast. It's something worth monitoring, and should it reach Tropical Storm strength, it's name will be Bill.
Please visit my tropical Atlantic headquarters.
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