1. Tracking the AtlanticChevron Down
Here’s where you can track everything from Atlantic conditions to tropical storms Karina and Lowell in the Pacific.
Tracking the Atlantic
Latest in the Atlantic
Wind shear
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These are areas of strong wind shear, the difference in wind speed and direction with height, which are shown in purple. High wind shear is hostile to mature tropical cyclones and those trying to develop.
(MORE: What is wind shear)
Dry, dusty air
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Another nemesis of tropical systems is dry air.
In hurricane season, plumes of dust-laden air stream across the basin from Africa’s Sahara Desert, as you can see in the map below. This sinking, dry air squelches thunderstorm development, the building blocks of tropical storms and hurricanes.
So areas in the brown shading below are generally unfavorable for development.
Sea surface temperatures
Atlantic tracks so far this season
These are the tracks of systems that were at least tropical or subtropical storms, so far in the Atlantic Basin.
Tracking the Pacific
Karina and Lowell’s forecast cone of uncertainty
Sea surface temperatures
Pacific tracks so far this season
Season activity compared to average
Accumulated Cyclone Energy, or ACE, is a metric that measures the total energy produced by tropical storms and hurricanes over a given period, accounting for both how strong they were and how long they lasted.
It’s another measure meteorologists use to gauge how active a hurricane season has been.
Accumulated cyclone energy, or ACE, is a metric that measures total energy produced by tropical storms and hurricanes over a given period, accounting for both how strong they were and how long they lasted.
(Data: Phil Klotzbach/CSU)