Western Atlantic Low Pressure Gale Storm May 2007The massive stacked low pressure system over the western Atlantic continues to slowly spin westward towards the Southeast United States coastline. This very impressive vortex shows up very well on all the satellite imagery channels. The visible and water vapor satellite images are the most impressive when looping the data. This large cyclone spins over the western Atlantic like a hurricane, but it’s not a warm core low pressure system like a hurricane would be. This is a strong mid and upper level low with a surface low reflection. I had many emails on Monday asking if this would turn into a hurricane, and I explained it was a cold core system that looks like a tropical cyclone in some ways, but more like a extratropical system.

This system has a large circulation and is causing more problems for the fires over southeastern Georgia and Northern Florida. Not only is it breezy, but the low is pulling drier air over the southeast and down the spin of Florida, keeping dew points low, which aids in the spread of the wildfires. Expect more fires to break out later today down wind of the active ongoing fires. The southeast and Florida are currently dealing with a severe drought and need heavy rainfall that likely will not come from this weakening gale center off of Southeast coastline.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL

WILDFIRES ACROSS THE JAX CWA… .

UPDATE…HAVE BEEN QUITE BUSY WITH THE WILDFIRE SITUATION ACROSS THE JAX CWA. THE MOST RECENT FIRES IN BRADFORD COUNTY HAVE BEEN ADVECTING SSW INTO NE ALACHUA WHERE EVACUATIONS ARE UNDERWAY THIS EVENING. THE LARGE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OFFSHORE OF THE SE ATLANTIC COAST IS SLOWING DRIFTING SSW TONIGHT…BUT A PRESSURE LULL HAS DEVELOPED THIS EVENING WITH WINDS LESS THAN 10 KTS INLAND…AND 15-20 KTS ALONG THE RIVER AND COAST. CLOUDS AND POSSIBLY SOME SPRINKLES ON THE W SIDE OF THE APPROACHING LOW ARE JUST NOW STARTING TO ROTATE OVER OUR OFFSHORE COASTAL WATERS…

The low pressure system is also turned into a monster wave machine, sending 12-17 foot swells into the western Atlantic waters and coastal beaches from North Carolina to Miami Beach. High Surf advisories are in effect all up and down the Florida east coast, and some coastal flooding and beach erosion are possible through the next 48 hours. The waves will likely peak by late today, and I’ll be moving up and down the central Florida beaches looking for the best breaks to film. Once the winds turn more northwesterly as the low nears the coast, the winds will be offshore, so it will give the large swells a nice smooth spray back affect, making for some killing looking surf. This likely will be the last big surf week of the late spring, until the next offshore hurricane sends swells in from the Atlantic. If your in Florida, enjoy the surfing while you can.

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