Sub-Tropical System Could Be Forming Near Cuba … S. Florida area to be affected

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Sub-Tropical System Could Be Forming Near Cuba

UPDATED 3 AM EST, February 6, 2012
By WeatherBug Meteorologist, Chad Merrill

Weather-System-02-06-2011-Google-Earth - Screen capture by Alan Spicer

Although we`re only in mid-winter, there is a bit of stir going on in the warmer tropics. A low pressure near western Cuba is slowly gaining sub-tropical characteristics. Regardless of development, the system will bring heavy rain to south Florida to start off the week.

The low has been aimlessly drifting across the western Caribbean Sea between southern Mexico and western Cuba, feeding off the warm mid to upper 70s water temperatures and a bit of tropical moisture streaming across Mexico from the eastern Pacific.

Hurricane forecasters indicate the low is starting to become better organized as it churns towards Cuba. There is a 30% that it could develop into a sub-tropical storm as it edges into the warm Gulf of Mexico early this week.

If it becomes a sub-tropical system, it would be given the name, “Alberto;” the first name on the list for the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season.
Even if it doesn`t become sub-tropical, it will bring more downpours that will add up to an inch or so in places like Miami , Fort Myers and Key West, Fla., through Wednesday. In addition, gusty winds of 40 to 50 mph could cause sporadic power outages. The storm will quickly be swept into the tail end of a cold front crossing northern Florida, forcing it to move to the east and into the open Atlantic as it merges with the front.

While a tropical system in February is rather unusual, it is not without precedent. The last tropical storm on record in February occurred in 1952, as a storm system formed near Cuba and crossed south Florida. There have been a few winter-time sub-tropical systems as warmer and colder air mixes within a building storm system. Click here for information on the difference between tropical and sub-tropical storms.

While the official start of the hurricane season is still months away on June 1, it`s never too early to start thinking about hurricane preparations. Take the time now to consider evacuation routes, in case the primary one is jammed or blocked. Also, make a hurricane preparation kit of water, batteries, blankets and a battery-operated radio.

—

Alan Spicer

This entry was posted on 6. February 2012 at 17:37 and is filed under Main. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.