Tropical Storm Gonzalo formed on Wednesday morning, making it the seventh named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season and breaking the record for the first recorded “G” named storm.
This is right after 2020, already setting records for the first storms named “C”, “E” and “F”.
The average date for the seventh named storm is September 16, so this formed almost two months before the average storm. The previous record was Tropical Storm Gert on July 24, 2005.
On Wednesday morning, the storm occurred more than 1,200 miles east of the Windward Islands. As of 11 am ET, it had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph and was moving west at 14 mph. The tropical storm is forecast to gain strength in open water and is expected to become a hurricane on Thursday, becoming the first hurricane of the 2020 season. As of Wednesday afternoon, there were no tropical alerts, but residents in the Windward Islands and the eastern Caribbean should monitor Gonzalo’s progress as he could bring gusty winds and heavy downpours to those islands this weekend.
Beyond the weekend, there is considerable uncertainty in both the storm’s trajectory and intensity.
Gonzalo is not the only storm watching this week.
There is another tropical disturbance, designated Invest 91-L, and it is closer to the United States, located in the Gulf of Mexico. It is currently an area of showers and thunderstorms, and the National Hurricane Center gives you a 70 percent chance of development in four days and an 80 percent chance of development in five days; It could develop into a tropical depression on Wednesday night or sometime on Thursday. In the event that it intensifies in a tropical storm, alerts and warnings may be required by later Wednesday in some parts of the Texas and Louisiana coasts. Regardless of any development, these areas should be prepared for tropical downpours, gusty winds, and high waves.
If it develops and turns into a tropical storm, the next name on the list is Hanna. Like Christopher, Edouard, Fay, and Gonzalo, that would make it the first recorded “H” named storm, and the previous record was Harvey on August 3, 2005.
Currently, 2020 is ahead of the record 2005 Atlantic hurricane season (the year of Hurricane Katrina), which was the first and only year that it had to use the Greek alphabet due to the number of named tropical cyclones. While 2020 is ahead of the 2005 pace, there is an important and important difference, according to Phil Klotzbach, a meteorologist at Colorado State University who specializes in forecasting seasonal hurricanes in the Atlantic basin.
“While 2020 has beaten 2005 until the seventh Atlantic storm, at this time in 2005, we have already had three major hurricanes and two major hurricanes (Dennis and Emily). None of the named storms of 2020 so far has reached the strength of a hurricane”. he said.
On Wednesday in the Pacific Ocean basin, Douglas became the first hurricane of the Eastern Pacific season and looks set to head for Hawaii. The current forecast indicates that it could affect the island chain as a strong tropical storm for Sunday or Monday.
All of these tropical cyclones are a clear indication that the tropics are warming as we move toward the peak hurricanes of August and September, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.
People located in coastal areas should review a hurricane plan, prepare a hurricane kit (be sure to include masks, disinfectants, and hand sanitizers) and be familiar with hurricane evacuation routes and plans, recommends the Federal Emergencies.
The current outlook for an active Atlantic hurricane season is especially troubling and will be more challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so early preparedness is key, according to NOAA data.
