#31 Postby Hyperstorm » Sat Nov 25, 2006 8:40 am
I think this system has quite a chance of becoming Joyce over the next 36 hours and a fair chance of strengthening to strong tropical storm status, at least. Whoever said goodbye to 2006...
An established upper-level anticyclone for this time of year is expected to persist over the SW Caribbean over the next couple of days, shifting toward the NW Caribbean during the middle of the week. SSTs are definitely warm enough in the W Caribbean and there is plenty of moisture in and around the premises of this system. The major factor that will affect its development will be its position in relation to the upper-level anticyclone. If the system manages to stay in weak steering currents, it will likely strengthen beyond what we could imagine for this time of year. If I were living in Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, etc. I would be watching this system VERY closely and start preparing for a possible landfall of a significant tropical cyclone. Would Joyce be the big name of 2006? We don't know yet, but the answer might be known by later this week.
On an interesting note, if this earns a name, I believe this would be the second latest a tropical cyclone has developed in the Caribbean. The latest of course was the out-of-season development of Odette in 2003.
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