Tropical Storm Hanna watches Texas as Hurricane Douglas approaches Hawaii. Here’s why they are both rare

Yesterday i wrote in Forbes discussing the formation of Tropical Storm Gonzalo and how unusual it is to have the seventh Atlantic storm in July. I also regretted that the conditions are favorable for hurricane activity near the United States this season. In that article, I also hinted at the possibility that something is forming in the Gulf of Mexico. Here’s the latest on a possible tropical storm in Texas and Hurricane Douglas that will hit the Hawaiian Islands this weekend.

Let’s start with the system in the Gulf of Mexico. As of this writing, it is currently Tropical Depression Eight, but the National Hurricane Center predicts the storm will become Tropical Storm Hanna, the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. We don’t usually see the eighth named storm until around September 24, giving you an indication of why we’re so concerned about above-normal activity this season.

Former Texas hurricane director Bill Read, who lives in Texas, posted the following alert on his social media page: “Although the official forecast (and support models) require modest strengthening, the system is moving on water warm from the open gulf and in a reasonably favorable atmospheric environment … The storm will have about 60 hours over the Gulf. “Whether the storm becomes Hanna or not, the impacts will be the same, gusting winds and up to 4-6 inches of rain for the Texas coast over the weekend.

In the Pacific basin, the National Hurricane Center is also monitoring Hurricane Douglas. According to the most recent NHC analysis, Douglas is currently a major hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph. As you can see from NOAA’s weather data below, it is rare for the fourth named storm in the Eastern Pacific Basin to become a hurricane this early, and it is virtually unprecedented to see a storm rated “major” (Category 3 or higher). ).

According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Douglas should gradually weaken as it progresses to cooler water temperatures and encounters increased wind shear. However, the official track forecast for Douglas below suggests that it could still be a low-grade hurricane or a strong tropical storm by the time it reaches the Hawaiian Islands on Saturday or Sunday.

It’s worth remembering that even as we look at these two systems, Tropical Storm Gonzalo is still making its way across the South Atlantic and could pose a threat to parts of the Caribbean islands this weekend as well. Although we are all consumed with COVID-19, it is time to start being “hurricane aware” if you live in coastal regions because the season is already breaking records and increasing as we get closer to the peak months. With a deadly pandemic, even more preparation will be required to deal with evacuations and the impacts of hurricanes, floods and other extreme weather events this season.