The Atlantic hurricane season got off to an early start this year with the first named storm, Andrea, of the season was announced on Wednesday.The normal start for the Atlantic hurricane season in June 1st, but Floridians, all ready suffering from wildfires in the Northern part of the state, were treated to a preview of what may be a long and busy 2007 hurricane season.
Subtropical storm Andrea was seen forming off the coast of Florida on Wednesday, but it is expected this first named storm of the 2007 hurricane season is not expected to bring much damage. However, any water this system brings to North Florida and South Georgia will be a welcome site because of the raging wildfires in this region.
Unlike Katrina in 2005, and the devastating hurricanes of 2004, Andrea did not have the tropical cyclone power of these other hurricanes.
Because the Atlantic waters are still cooler than normal for ideal hurricane conditions, Andrea is lacking the warm core and organized thunderstorms that go with the formation of a hurricane.
A 2am bulletin released on May 10 by the national hurricane center in Miami states Andrea is starting basically stationary and still poor organized. Andrea is located about 135 miles southeast of Savannah, Ga and 115 miles northeast of Daytona Beach, Fl. This means Andrea is roughly in the area of the Jacksonville, Fl coastline.
Subtropical storm Andrea was only packing sustained winds of 45 miles per hour, and it is expected these winds will not increase. So much for getting a day off from work!!
The Atlantic hurricane season really does not begin to percolate until August when the Atlantic has had a chance to warm up to about 80 degrees or so.
Weather forecaster AccuWeather.com predicted on Tuesday that 13 or 14 tropical storms or hurricanes would form in the Atlantic this year and six or seven could hit the United States, with the Gulf Coast and Gulf of Mexico oil installations at high risk.
The Colorado State University team under forecast pioneer William Gray predicted 17 storms, of which nine would become hurricanes, and London-based Tropical Storm Risk similarly predicted 16.7 storms and 9.2 hurricanes.
Even if either of these predictions are true, the 2007 season would be considered mild when compared to 2005 when a record 28 storms formed in the Atlantic.
Forecasters had predicted 2006 would also be a heavy hurricane season, but only 10 named storms formed, and none of these storms turned into hurricanes that threatened the United States.
For now, Florida and Georgia are happy to receive the additional rain brought by Andrea to an area that is suffering from severe drought and wildfires.
Read more about Andrea at Yahoo News
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