Why have Marco and Laura struggled?

[StPeteMike]

Laura I can kind of understand, but Marco really seemed to struggle to get going when the environment seemed almost perfect for a quick bomb in intensification. There was roughly two days that Marco had the opportunity to develop fast and it took a day of just staying as a TD when it could had easily strengthen.

[ClarCari]

This isn’t a scientific answer but every season, even the most active seasons, have their fair share of sheer and dry air to deal with in certain areas at certain times.
It’s just that seasons such as 2005, 2010, 2017, etc, and now 2020 have had more opportunity than average seasons for storms to exist and flourish.
It’s never “the gulf and Caribbean have no shear, Nana go develop over there!” or “look Omar, the MDR looks good for development, so stop playing in that shear in the Gulf and go to the MDR!!!...”
Storms don’t have awareness, they drift where they do and so do shear and dry air, it’s all a matter of chance.

Edit to add: OP post may not have been exactly asking about why 2020 seems not to have flourished as much as people are expecting, but this answer is also for people who still think something is off about this season.

[CyclonicFury]

This isn’t a scientific answer but every season, even the most active seasons, have their fair share of sheer and dry air to deal with in certain areas at certain times.
It’s just that seasons such as 2005, 2010, 2017, etc, and now 2020 have had more opportunity than average seasons for storms to exist and flourish.
It’s never “the gulf and Caribbean have no shear, Nana go develop over there!” or “look Omar, the MDR looks good for development, so stop playing in that shear in the Gulf and go to the MDR!!!...”
Storms don’t have awareness, they drift where they do and so do shear and dry air, it’s all a matter of chance.

This is very true. Just because it's a hyperactive season doesn't mean every storm will instantly blow up into a Category 5. Below normal shear still means shear is present. SAL outbreaks happen every year.

Laura is primarily struggling due to land interaction and could become a substantial hurricane in a few days, and Marco has just attained hurricane strength in spite of the shear.

[Hammy]

Not a particularly scientific answer and something that raises more questions, but south of about 20N or so has seemed a lot less favorable in general over the last decade then previous years, especially in comparison to the rest of the basin.

[Steve]

Laura I can kind of understand, but Marco really seemed to struggle to get going when the environment seemed almost perfect for a quick bomb in intensification. There was roughly two days that Marco had the opportunity to develop fast and it took a day of just staying as a TD when it could had easily strengthen.

Position relative to MJO?

[Kingarabian]

I don't think they're struggling. Struggling to me is when the storm is weaker or not as organized as modeling or NHC forecasts indicate (EPAC!!!). Why aren't they all blowing up into Cat.5s? Well that's not really how it works... even in hyperactive seasons.

[FireRat]

hey all,
I have a feeling these ideas about Marco and Laura struggling may be a bit premature... especially regarding Laura, which is beginning to remind me of the 1900 hurricane because of the track and how it maintained itself as a TS while passing over the islands including Hispaniola. I bet it survives Cuba as well and like 1900, will have the chance to strengthen a whole lot in the GOM as it heads towards TX/LA. Lets hope by then that Laura WILL continue to struggle once in the GOM.

For now, the main struggles the storms have had IMO are...
Marco - Tiny size and Shear.
Laura - Land Interaction.

despite this, Marco did attain Cat 1 even if for a little bit. Who knows what Laura will do

[EquusStorm]

Well Marco was certainly a wash, but I glanced at satellite imagery and I think Laura's struggle has probably ended

[tolakram]

Laura I can kind of understand, but Marco really seemed to struggle to get going when the environment seemed almost perfect for a quick bomb in intensification. There was roughly two days that Marco had the opportunity to develop fast and it took a day of just staying as a TD when it could had easily strengthen.

I think that basically this is a misunderstanding of how the tropics work, and how rare perfect conditions are. Even in a year with good indicators you still need the right conditions at the right time. All seasonal forecasts can tell us is that the chance of stringer storms is possible because there should be more opportunities for good conditions.

Marco was too early, the gulf had a lot of shear overhead. Laura was just a day or so later when conditions were good.

Really not much more to say. Struggling systems in 'good' years should be expected. Struggling systems in any year should be expected. What made 2005 so rare, and a season we will probably never see again, is the perfect conditions were unusually common.

[KWT]

This looks to me like a 2005 type season, where systems have enough strength to develop but don't really blossom until they get further west into the basin.

Laura alone makes this a memorable season now...regardless of numbers.

[Hammy]

Well Marco was certainly a wash, but I glanced at satellite imagery and I think Laura's struggle has probably ended

Marco still overperformed given the conditions once it got into the Gulf. If anything, both of these storms (along with Isaias, Bertha, and Arthur) show that by far the most favorable areas of the Atlantic this year are the Gulf and offshore of the southeast--the worst possible place at least for the US and Mexico to see the most favorable regions.