2008 Atlantic hurricane season

[Jason]

I wonder what would happen if two storms converged?  Has that ever happened?

[David]

I believe they would tear each other apart. Can our resident meteorologist verify this?

Here's a FAQ from a kid's weather site hahaha:


"Has there ever been a case where two hurricanes come together and merged into one larger hurricane?
San Sebastian Sixth graders
Miami, Florida

No, it's actually impossible for two or more hurricanes to merge together. But if two hurricanes or tropical storms do come close together, they can interact with one another. Their close proximity may weaken one or both of the storms.  Or they may begin circling around each other.  This is called the Fujiwhara effect, named after a Japanese meteorologist who first explained the phenomenon.  In this case, the tropical cyclones begin to move around a center point between them.  It's sort of like two people on opposite sides of a tetherball pole each holding onto a ball and walking around the pole.  The resulting "dance" is an amazing thing to see on an animated weather satellite photograph!"

Edit:

An much more accurate article from a non-kid's weather site describing the Fujiwhara effect: http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wfujiwha.htm

[fsujax]

Where's Mike Buresh or John Gaughn when we need them?? 

[reednavy]

The only time I can think of this almost happening is 1995 season. Luis was a cat 3, almost a 4, then Marilyn went thru rapid deepening, and they actually started to fight each other. Marilyn won and started stealing Luis' strength, and also the vented air from Marilyn was ingested into Luis, causing him to stay as a cat3. They also changed direction somewhat, Marilyn continued west, as Luis was bumped NW. A few hours later, Marilyn did take a small SW jog, so this is as close to that happening as I've ever seen.

[David]

I miss Bob Allen on the old fox 30 news, he would comically stumble his words. But no weather girl will ever capture my heart like Betsy Kling. She gave me her beads on the skyway newyears 2002 after we asked her to sign our hurricane tracking chart. *sigh*

[Jason]

I love me some Betsy Kling!

Thanks for the info Reed.

[Driven1]

hopefully this one will not start wobbling down south and then stumble awkwardly into us from some weird angle.

It looks like many of the models have it doing just that.

where?  every model i have seen only takes it as close to the US Coast as 600 miles and then stops - b/c too far out to predict.  i can find nothing where a model brings it into Jax.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at3.shtml?5day#contents

[Driven1]

I wonder what would happen if two storms converged?  Has that ever happened?

Yes, it happened once.  A while back.  Actually, THREE storms collided and it was catastrophic.  They called it...The Perfect Storm.

http://www.youtube.com/v/jmX3TK7U5K4&hl=en&fs=1

[reednavy]

Of course, only one was a tropical system.

[gatorback]

Has Hanna gone bananas? I've never seen a track like that...anybody?

[gatorback]

Gustav is now a cat 3 expected to grow to a cat 4.

[adamh0903]

hopefully this one will not start wobbling down south and then stumble awkwardly into us from some weird angle.

It looks like many of the models have it doing just that.

where?  every model i have seen only takes it as close to the US Coast as 600 miles and then stops - b/c too far out to predict.  i can find nothing where a model brings it into Jax.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at3.shtml?5day#contents

[gatorback]

TS Ike? Don't like the sound of that

[Ocklawaha]

Yes, it happened once.  A while back.  Actually, THREE storms collided and it was catastrophic.  They called it...The Perfect Storm.

THE PERFECT STORM was more a collision of extreme strong fronts or pressure zones if I recall. Hot Wet low in the tropics - meets bone dry cool from the west which I think crashed into an artic zone decending. Of course that's just memory, but seems to me that was why it got no proper name, no proper warnings and hit along a front 1,000+ miles long. Floods in Florida, to blizards in the Carolina's, sunken boats off Maine. I don't think any part of it was hurricane caused.

Certainly no weather man, but the out flow or falling cooled air from storm one, would shear off the hot updrafts of storm two. It did happen with Donna or Dora, but it wasn't a merger, the shear kept the storm weaker then it would have been otherwise. If it hadn't we'd all be blogging from LAKE CITY!

OCKLAWAHA
Resident old fart with a tale to tell...

[gatorback]

Gustav is a TS, but, Hurricane Hanna looks like it is heading straight to N. FLorida, S. GA.  I am not sure if this one is projected to turn but right now...hanna has jax in the middle of its cross hairs.