Environment

Three Storms in the Atlantic Threaten the US East Coast

By NOAA [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Three Storms in the Atlantic Threaten the US East Coast
Bernadine Racoma

Three storms are brewing in the Atlantic and it’s possible that one of these Atlantic storms will follow the path of Hurricane Irma. One of the storms has already become a hurricane and another one threatens the areas battered last week by Irma.

Atlantic Storms – Tropical Storm Maria

Of the three Atlantic storms, Maria is still a tropical storm that formed Saturday. By Monday, it is expected to turn into a hurricane and will be a major hurricane on Wednesday, September 20, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). It was located southeast of the Lesser Antilles on Sunday morning, moving towards the Caribbean.

Although Maria is not expected to be a monster hurricane, three to five-foot storm surge is expected. It could dump about 20 inches of rain on the Leeward Islands that could cause life threatening mudslides and flash floods. This is going to hamper the recovery efforts after Hurricane Irma.

Maria’s center is expected to reach the Leeward Islands within 48 to 72 hours. According to its tracked movement, it will reach Puerto Rico within four days then hit the Dominican Republic and Haiti in five days. These areas are some that were ravaged by Irma just a few days ago.

Atlantic storms have been extra strong this year and Maria is projected to bring destructive and large waves, rainfall hazards, storm surge and dangerous wind.

The effects of Maria could already be felt Sunday night in the Lesser Antilles. The tropical storm will be elevated to Category 1 hurricane when it reaches the Caribbean. A Hurricane Watch has already been issued for Barbuda, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts and Antigua.

Hurricane Jose

Hurricane Jose, which is a Category 1 storm, is closing in on Cape Hatteras in North Carolina and Bermuda. Its maximum sustained winds is about 90 mph. Jose will remain a hurricane until Monday evening. It is moving northward and causing dangerous rip currents and high surf along the east coast.

Residents and officials in several areas along the east coast from North Carolina to New England are advised to monitor the progress of Hurricane Jose. Of all the Atlantic storms, this one is still offshore, and is likely to remain there according to the current forecast. However, Hurricane Jose is a large cyclone and is expected to have direct impacts in the areas mentioned.

The swells caused by Jose are already affecting Puerto Rico, the northern coasts of Dominican Republic and Haiti (Hispaniola), the Bahamas, Bermuda and several parts of the east coast of the United States.

Tropical Storm Lee

Early on Saturday, Tropical Storm Lee also formed in the eastern part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is still about 790 miles off the southwest side of Cape Verde, where the majority of Atlantic storms come from, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.

However it is weakening and the forecast is that it will become a depression by Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The NHC says that Tropical Strom Lee will not make landfall.

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