Tropical Depression (Possible Hurricane) Forms off Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua

[Panamajames]

An excerpt from Dr. Jeff Masters' tropical weather blog on Wunderground.com

Western Caribbean disturbance 97L likely to become a tropical depression

3:39 PM GMT on November 03, 2009
An area of low pressure with a surface circulation has developed in the Southwestern Caribbean, off the coast of Costa Rica. This disturbance, designated Invest 97L by the National Hurricane Center this morning, appears likely to develop into a tropical depression over the next two days. Satellite loops clearly show that 97L has a surface circulation, and low-level spiral bands have begun to develop. There is not very much heavy thunderstorm activity, though it is steadily increasing. An ASCAT pass from 10pm EST last night showed top winds of about 30 mph in the heaviest thunderstorms...

The forecast for 97L
Steering currents are weak in the Southwest Caribbean, and 97L will move little over the next three days. ... By Friday, steering currents are expected to pull 97L north or northwest, along the coast of Nicaragua or inland over northeastern Nicaragua and Honduras. By Monday, 97L may pass over Western Cuba and enter the Gulf of Mexico, as predicted by the ECMWF model; an alternate solution, provided by the GFS model, keeps the storm farther south, pushing it into Belize and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula....

To read the entire blog entry, click here: Wunder Blog : Weather Underground

[markpj23]

Welcome tropical storm IDA. Funny, but that's my mother-in-law's name...... and absolutley NO inferences to be made there... no sireee Bob.... yes dear, be there in a moment....

Anyone know if there's been another that formed this late in the year?

[Southern Star]

Tropical storms are really not that uncommon at this time of year (in fact it is still technically hurricane season). As I recall, the so-called 'Perfect Storm' took place in early November.

Brad

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

Tropical storms are really not that uncommon at this time of year (in fact it is still technically hurricane season). As I recall, the so-called 'Perfect Storm' took place in early November.

Brad

You're essentially correct, Brad, though the "perfect storm" of 1991 became known as "The Halloween Nor'Easter." Peak intensity was probably the night of October 31, with the storm ultimately dissapating over Nova Scotia by November 2.

Here's a link: 1991 Perfect Storm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

TaoJones

[sneuman]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

Tropical storms are really not that uncommon at this time of year (in fact it is still technically hurricane season). As I recall, the so-called 'Perfect Storm' took place in early November.

Brad

The same thing has been happening in Southeast Asia - more late season and post-season typhoons. Climate change? Well, at least a few seasoned hands seem to think so:

From an article by Yves Gelinas:
My Destiny as a Sailor

I ... read an article in Cruising World written by Don Street, owner of the famous centennial yawl Iolaire, in which he advised against making the passage before December, the hurricane season now being one month longer and the trade wind not establishing itself until December, due to recent global warming related climate changes.

[zeehag]

now cat1 hurrycame--be safe out there--is spozed to affect our return to louseyanny--with higher tides and larger seas--winds are up a bit now---prolly stay that way until after oi get to san diego LOL....be safe!!.--is an el nino year and weather is different than normal.....until june 2010....