While attention has been focused on Hurricane Dorian as it ravages the Bahamas and menaces the Southeast coast of the U.S., another tropical system is threatening Mexicothis week as hurricane season nears its peak.
The National Hurricane Center said Tuesday that a disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico has become Tropical Storm Fernand, the sixth named storm of the season.
The system currently has sustained winds of 40 mph and is located about 160 east of La Pesca, Mexico and moving west at 7 mph.
A tropical storm warning has been issued in Mexico from Barra del Tordo to the Mouth of the Rio Grande River on the U.S. border with Texas. An NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to investigate the storm Tuesday afternoon to provide more information on the intensity.
“A motion toward the west-northwest is forecast tonight and Wednesday,” the NHC said. “This motion could bring the center of Fernand near or over the coast of northeastern Mexico late Wednesday.”
This image, taken on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2019, shows a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico off northeast Mexico as Hurricane Dorian can be seen spinning just off the coast of Florida. (NOAA/GOES-East)
Satellite photos from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show the area of disturbed weather in the Gulf of Mexico as Dorian spins off Florida.
“Interests elsewhere along the northeastern coast of Mexico and the lower Texas coast should monitor the progress of this system,” the NHC said.
The development of this latest tropical system comes as Hurricane Dorian lurks off Florida, and the entire tropical Atlantic basin has become “quite active” in recent days.
“There are currently 3 disturbances being monitored for potential development, with another tropical wave expected to move off the African coast later this week,” the National Weather Service said on Twitter Monday.
While the focus has understandably been on Hurricane Dorian, the entire tropical Atlantic basin has become quite active. There are currently 3 disturbances being monitored for potential development, with another tropical wave expected to move off the African coast later this week pic.twitter.com/qwP3qz3YYj
— NWS Eastern Region (@NWSEastern) September 2, 2019
Colorado State University hurricane scientist Phil Klotzbach noted on Twitter the “whopping” four areas of potential development over the Atlantic over the next 5 days.
“The climatological peak of Atlantic hurricane season is around September 10,” Klotzbach said.
In addition to #HurricaneDorian, the National #Hurricane Center is now monitoring a whopping 4 areas for potential development in the Atlantic over the next five days. The climatological peak of Atlantic hurricane season is around September 10. pic.twitter.com/CC79kXQmOT
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) September 2, 2019
