TS OTTO - Weather History in the Making

[belizesailor]

Only once before in NOAA records has a hurriance made landfall in Panama, Hurricane Martha 1969, but it could happen again very soon. TS Otto has formed off the Atlantic coast of Panama and is forecast to make lanfall as a hurricane. Current highest probability strike zone is from near Bocas del Toro, Panama to Nicaragua.

Weve been getting a lot of rain here in the Chiriqui Province of Panama (Western Highlands), so I looked at the weather a couple of days ago to see why. I noticed a broad area of circulation, rain, and higher winds off the Panamanian coast, but because we are below the hurricane belt, I never thought of it as possibly being a tropical system. I just assumed it was a normal low pressure system sending rain our way....surprise!

Links:

National Hurricane Center

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Martha



Anyone online in Bocas?

[zeehag]

so costa rica is gonna get a historical event. wow duck folks.
then this thing will cross over to commit mayhem in pacific where folks are peacefully sailing. some north some south at this time of year.
by my figuring, jeff hartjoy (sailors run) will be well past the storm zone by the time it gets to where he is sailing north (ecuador to barra de navidad, mexico). he DID wish for a gale for tehuantepec....
hopefully the storm does not pull a comeback once in pacific.

[belizesailor]

And a good example of GFS dramatically under estimating high wind speeds.

[IndecentExposur]

....and it just so happens we managed to get a northerly flow in Belize during our charter. Made for interesting times.

[MarkJ]

Killed 14 people.


https://www.climate.gov/news-features/event-tracker/deadly-record-breaking-hurricane-hits-central-america-november

[zeehag]

happy that is dissipated rapidly after crossover.