After a pretty calm Atlantic Hurricane season, things are starting to really heat up.
Look at where we are as of 2 o’clock Friday afternoon – a pair of hurricanes and a soon-to-form low pressure system geared to turn into a tropical cyclone any time now.
As Gabrielle heads to the eastern Atlantic, Humberto is set to pass between the U.S. coast and Bermuda as a Major Cat 3 system.
But the one we need to keep an eye on has yet to form an eye. When it does, say hello to Imelda.
Conditions – super warm water and light wind shear – are ripe for quick strengthening.
So what’s all this mean for the boating communities in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina?
Hopefully not much. Trouble is, modeling systems that predict these kind of storms have nothing to work with until an eye forms.
When it does, a vast majority of model guess work has it making landfall likely in the middle of South Carolina before working its way inland or through central North Carolina and Virginia.
It’s strength and actual direction as of Friday were anybody’s best guess.
Rains riding an approaching cold front will cause saturation to much of the land in the regional, and shorelines around water will be drunk with higher than normal tides from constant northeast winds.
Localized flooding is pretty much a sure bet.
Remember what Isabel did to the region 20 years ago. Despite popular belief, the cyclone was not a hurricane when it came into Virginia and you saw all the damages it caused – fallen trees, smashed up homes, downed power lines and weeks without power.
All that means it’s time to replay the broken time-to-prep recording that deals with getting your vessel ready.
Extra lines and running them slack to deal with rising waters are a must for boats moored at docks.
And if that’s your vessel, make sure batteries to run bilge pumps are fully charged and secure anything that might want to give flying a test.
Many boating community websites have guidelines. Ask a member of your favorite angling club or just talk to a friend with experience.
Best of all, talk to the staff here at Lynnhaven about what your best decisions should be.
There are several scenarios regarding soon-to-be Imelda.
A low pressure system pulling her into the coast is getting the most attention. A straight path north has gained some supporters.
And a strange occurrence for Atlantic waters called the Fujiwhara effect could see Imelda and Humberto getting tangled together in a spinning dance that happens more in the Pacific and Indian oceans than anywhere else on the planet.
Described by Japanese meteorology doctor Sakuhei Fugiwhara in a 1921 paper, the dance could pull Imelda out to sea or guide it into an different area along the East Coast.
In this situation, the stronger storm is the leader of the dance, and that would mean Humberto would be controlling the show – even swallowing up Imelda to form one big nasty storm.
Whatever the case may be, and no matter what kind of weather we actually get, it’s again a good time to make sure you and your boat are ready for anything.
To read more of my work, go to: leetolliveroutdoors.com
