A Tropical Storm Trifecta in the Atlantic

If we’re somewhat skeptical about the ability of scientists to predict the weather 20 and 30 years out, it’s because they have such a hard time predicting major weather events a week or two in the future.

Just a couple of weeks ago, the alleged hurricane experts at Colorado State University had to downgrade their Atlantic/Caribbean tropical storm forecast because the season had started so slowly. And now, only a short time later, there are three simultaneous tropical storms in the Atlantic/Caribbean.

Tropical Storm Claudette has already made landfall in the Gulf Coast of the United States, but with thankfully relatively mild winds. Then there is Tropical Storm Ana. Mike Harker of the Manhattan Beach-based Hunter 49 Wanderlust 3 writes just passed by his boat, which is tied up in the mangroves of Simpson Bay Lagoon in St. Martin. "She passed to the south of us, and we successfully sat out 35- to 40-knot winds." Then there’s Bill, a Category 1 hurricane that has come halfway across the Atlantic from the breeding grounds near the Cape Verdes off the coast of Africa. Once again it looks as though we’ll be lucky, as Bill is headed north of Bermuda.

And in the Eastern Pacific (Mexico-Hawaii) hurricane region, Guillermo, a Category 1 hurricane with winds to 110 knots, is halfway between Mexico and Hawaii headed in the general direction of the Islands. The fourth hurricane of the Eastern Pacific season, Guillermo is expected to rapidly diminish in strength and not be a threat to land.

August and September are the big months for hurricanes in Mexico, so we hope everyone has gotten their boats prepared. Good luck to you all.