Surprise Tropical Storm Emily hits Florida’s west coast

A poorly-organized low pressure system in the northern Gulf of Mexico got its act together in a hurry on Monday morning, and was upgraded to a tropical storm just hours before making landfall... my update on Emily is available on the Capital Weather Gang blog:

Surprise Tropical Storm Emily hits Florida’s west coast

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Still watching the remnants of TD4... may reach south Florida on Thursday

A brief update on former Tropical Depression Four and the possible impacts in south Florida and the northern Gulf coast is available on the Capital Weather Gang blog:

Days after dissipating, the remains of Tropical Depression Four are creeping toward Florida

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Tropical Depression Four forms far from land

The disturbance I wrote about yesterday was upgraded to Tropical Depression Four early Thursday morning.  It is located about halfway between the Lesser Antilles and the African coast in the deep tropics.

Enhanced satellite image of the deep tropical Atlantic.  Orange and red hues indicate dry dusty air, while blue and green hues indicate more moist air. (EUMETSAT)

Zoom-in view of TD4.  The fine whispy cirrus clouds radiating out from the center is a clue that upper-level winds are not very strong.

Although the vertical wind shear has relaxed for now, it is becoming surrounded by dry mid-level air which squelches thunderstorm activity, so it is not expected to develop too much more.  Some models indicate it could attain tropical storm status, but the National Hurricane Center keeps it as a Depression through the next three days before dissipating.

Again, if it gets named it would be Don, and would be about seven weeks ahead of the average date of fourth named storm formation.

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Tropical Storm Don could form today, and one group is upping their hurricane outlook

Today's short update on activity in the deep tropics is available on the Capital Weather Gang blog:

Tropical Storm Don could form today, and one group is upping their hurricane outlook

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