Cruise Forecasts

WordPress friends,

I have just finished redesigning my hurricane / tropical weather and travel website. It is full of great information about hurricanes and your favorite tropical travel destination. I have travel weather articles written about most Caribbean islands, Mexico, Bermuda, Florida and Hawaii. So before you head off to your next vacation, check what the weather may bring for that time of year. Sunrise and sunset times are also included.

So please stop by at my newly redesigned site that includeds Cruise Weather and Hurricane Forecasts. I would love to have your feedback! Also, for a nominal price I will begin providing cruise forecasts. You can receive a forecast for the islands that you’ll be visiting and also the days at sea.

Thanks!

Simon, another major hurricane in the eastern Pacific

Hurricane Simon became the sixth category four hurricane in the eastern Pacific this season. While the Atlantic has been quiet again this year the eastern Pacific has been very busy. Thankfully Simon has tracked in the more common area that tropical cyclones follow – west of Cabo San Lucas.

Hurricane Simon

The resort area of Cabo San Lucas is still recovering from Hurricane Odile from a few weeks ago. Odile came onshore as a category three hurricane. This time around the Baja of Mexico has only had to deal with rain bands and higher than normal surf on their west facing beaches. Hurricane season does not end until November 30th.

Hurricane Odile – One for the Record Books

Hurricane Odile formed off of the west central coast of Mexico several days ago. Weather forecast models showed Odile moving west of the Baja for several days. As the storm approached the models shifted eastward…..bad news for the resort area of Los Cabos on the southern tip of Baja California.





Hurricane Odile made landfall near Cabo San Lucas just before 10 pm local time on September 14th. It tied hurricane Olivia (1967) as the strongest hurricane to hit the southern Baja on record. Top sustained winds were estimated at 125 mph. Huge surf, high winds and heavy rainfall have battered the region since last night. Later today reports of the damage will be realized. Heavy rainfall may make its way into the southwestern U.S. Last week severe flooding washed out a major roadway north of Las Vegas. The southwest would welcome more rainfall in general, but not the flash flooding.

For a complete history of this hurricane check and its history. You can always get a quick hurricane update at my twitter account –

Recap of the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season

2011 Atlantic hurricane season recap

Before we start thinking about the upcoming hurricane season, let’s take a look back….

The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season produced 19 tropical storms of which seven became hurricanes. Of those seven hurricanes four became major hurricanes. As a reminder, a major hurricane is signified as a category three or higher on the Saffir-Simpson wind scale. ( winds of 111 mph or stronger ).

The United States was fortunate again, making this the six year in a row that there was not a landfalling major hurricane. The last was hurricane Wilma in 2005 when it hit southwest Florida in late October.

The hurricane season took an unusual start. There were eight tropical storms before a hurricane formed. That was Hurricane Irene which affected the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S. Two tropical storms did hit the U.S. in 2011. Don moved into south Texas in late July and Lee hit the central Louisiana coast in early September.

It was interesting to note that Bermuda was surrounded by several tropical cyclones but none made a direct hit. Powerful Ophelia steered well to the east sparing the island.

We’ll take a look at the upcoming 2012 hurricane season at a later date.

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net

First official tropical system may try to form over next serval days in Gulf

Tropical forecast models have been insisting that a tropical cyclone will form in the northwestern Caribbean or western Gulf over the next several days. The models generally take the system toward the Texas coast or northwestern Mexican east coast. Remember forecast models can be fickle. We are watching them closely but are not too concerned at this time. Interests on the Texas coast over the next week should keep an eye on this system.

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net
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Hurricane Adrian starts the eastern Pacific hurricane season strong

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Hurricane Adrian started the eastern Pacific hurricane season with a bang. It strengthened into a category 4 hurricane west of Mexico to 140 mph late Thursday into early Friday. It ran the “typical” route for a hurricane in the eastern Pacific basin where it formed in the monsoon trough south of Mexico and moved on a west northwesterly course. It encounted colder water which robbed its energy source and weakened rapidly. The slideshow shows different satellite perspectives of Adrian: Visible, I.R. and Rainbow enhancement.

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net
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Atlantic hurricane season 2011 begins Wednesday

hurricane season 2011

The 2011 Atlantic hurricane season is here and is predicted to be an active one similar to last year. Contrary to some reports, this is not due to warmer than normal water in the Atlantic nor is a result from climate change. A large area of warmer than normal water may have some part in a more active hurricane season, but is not the overriding factor. Global weather weather patterns influenced by El Nino and La Nina as well as major a ocean circulation in the Atlantic are much larger features.

The number of tropical cyclones in the Atlantic basin are also cyclical. We have been in an “up” cycle since the mid 1990’s and will likely be in this cycle for another 10-15 years.

Regardless, of the amount of hurricanes expected, you should be finishing preseason hurricane preparedness. Here are some helpful tips on how to do just that: – Preseason hurricane preparedness

Don’t get caught without properly preparing for this hurricane season. Now is the time to prepare, not two days before a hurricane strikes!

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net
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2010 Atlantic hurricane season summary

Hurricane Season 2010 summary

The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season turned out to be another busy one, keeping with the trend of more than the last 15 years. Four tropical cyclones gave the U.S. some effects. The most notable was from tropical storm Hermine which brought 5-10+ inches of rain to south and central Texas. There were no direct hits from hurricanes this season in the U.S.. Earl brushed the eastern coast with only a couple of gusts to near hurricane force on Cape Hatteras. Alex hit northeastern Mexico as a category two hurricane, but was a small tropical cyclone. Because of this, the wind damage remained in Mexico. South Texas did see some winds to tropical storm force, but most of the impacts were from locally heavy rainfall in extreme south Texas. Tropical storm Bonnie made landfall in south Florida early in the season with minimal effects. Overall, despite being a busy season, the U.S. fared well. Most of the tropical cyclones traveled the familiar route around the Bermuda high in the open Atlantic ocean.
Keep an eye on the tropics on my Tropicalweather.net weather message board.

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net
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Tropical storm Colin

Colin is fighting wind shear and is barely hanging on as a tropical storm. Forecasts indicate that Colin will continue to fight wind shear and is not predicted to reach hurricane status over the next several days. In fact, the wind shear will keep it fighting for survival for a while.

Colin’s track will take it a little northeast of the Leewards in about a day then start to recurve offshore of the eastern seabaord. Some forecasts take it east to near Bermuda, others considerable closer to the U.S. coast. Remember, forecasts estimates several days out have the greater chance of error.

Join me on the tropicalweather.net message boards to follow Colin or leave your own weather comments!

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net

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2009 Hurricane Season ending

Florida Beach

The 2009 hurricane season officially ends November 30. This hurricane season fits the mold of the long term averages. For the 2009 season there were 10 named storms of which 3 became hurricanes and of those 2 major hurricanes. A category 3 or higher on the Saffir_Simpson scale is considered major.

In the Atlantic basin, long term averages show that there are about 10 named storms of which 6 become hurricanes and 3 of those major hurricanes. Since 1995 there has been a major upswing in tropical cyclone activity. During this period there has been an average of 15 named storms of which 8 became hurricanes and 4 of those major hurricanes.

The return of El Nino was the likely cause in the decrease in tropical cyclone activity, especially affecting the number of hurricanes that formed. The El Nino causes an increase in wind shear which creates a hostile environment for hurricane development in gerneral.

Rich Johnson – Tropicalweather.net

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