Tropical Update for July 20, 2010

So far, things look pretty calm in the Atlantic Basin and people are still making noise about the potential for a tropical cyclone near Puerto Rico. I don't think it will do anything other than make a lot of rain.


Here is the most recent Graphical Outlook for the Atlantic basin from the National Hurricane Center...










Here is what the National Hurricane Center has to say about 97L:

1. A VIGOROUS TROPICAL WAVE LOCATED OVER PUERTO RICO AND THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS CONTINUES TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD CLOUDINESS AND
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS...THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS...PUERTO RICO...AND ADJACENT ATLANTIC AND NORTHEASTERN
CARIBBEAN WATERS. ALTHOUGH SURFACE PRESSURES ARE NOT FALLING
SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE AREA...RECENT UPPER-AIR DATA INDICATE THE
SYSTEM IS BECOMING BETTER ORGANIZED IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER LEVELS
OF THE ATMOSPHERE. THERE IS A MEDIUM CHANCE...30 PERCENT...OF THIS
SYSTEM BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AS THE
DISTURBANCE MOVES WEST-NORTHWESTWARD AT 5 TO 10 MPH. REGARDLESS OF
DEVELOPMENT... LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40
MPH COULD AFFECT THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS...THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS...PUERTO RICO...THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC...HAITI...EASTERN
CUBA...THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS...AND THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS
DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. RAINFALL TOTALS OF MORE THAN 5
INCHES HAVE ALREADY BEEN REPORTED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO...AND ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL COULD CAUSE
LOCALIZED FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES...ESPECIALLY OVER MOUNTAINOUS
TERRAIN.

Weekly Hurricane Outlook with Mark Suddoth [July 6th Edition]


Now we turn to Mark Suddoth of Hurricane Track for his in depth take on the data...I love the way he refuses to hype potential storm development like most of the other people in the media. 










For more information on Mark's activites, check out the following links:

Hurricane Track


Ustream Feed


Twitter


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That's all I have for today. It looks like the next little bit should be okay...but don't take that for granted. Make it a habit to at least daily check out the tropical weather conditions. Sometimes, things change quicker than expected.


The time to prepare for Tropical Storms is before they hit. Well before they hit, not just in the week before one comes ashore. A good place to get started on preparing for a storm is the National Hurricane Center's Preparedness Page.


Even people in my area of the Appalachian Mountains should make preparations for disaster, most specifically for flooding or landslides.