Tropical Storm Humberto Forms in the Eastern Atlantic

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

September 9,2013; 9:22PM,EDT

 

 

Tropical Storm Humberto formed in the far eastern Atlantic early on Monday morning following a short-lived Tropical Depression 9.
Humberto started off as just a low emerging off the African coast over the weekend, becoming a tropical depression on Sunday.
What makes this system different from its predecessors that hinted at development, but failed to do so, is the atmosphere the low is moving into.
The newly formed tropical storm is tracking south of the disruptive wind shear and dry air that has kept this hurricane season relatively quiet thus far.

Without those hindrances in place, the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center expects Humberto to gradually strengthen over the next couple of days.
How strong the system gets will depend on how long it maintains a westward heading. Eventually, Humberto will make a sharper turn to the north and could encounter the drier air, stronger wind shear and even cooler water.
The longer Humberto delays that turn to the north, the more opportunity it has to strengthen. If it manages to become a hurricane before Thursday, it would prevent 2013 from setting the record for the formation of the latest first Atlantic hurricane in a season.
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That record, for storms in the satellite era, is currently held by 2002 when Gustav reached hurricane status on Sept. 11, according to AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
Tropical Storm Humberto is expected to definitely make that northward turn prior to reaching the central Atlantic, sparing the Caribbean Islands from being impacted.
Farther down the road, it appears that the system should not reach the United States.
The worst impacts to land will come over the Cape Verde Islands. Potentially flooding rain threatens to spread across the islands on Monday through Tuesday. Depending on when Humberto takes its northward turn, the drenching could last through Wednesday.
Damaging winds and rough surf will become greater concerns the more that Humberto strengthens over the warm waters of the eastern Atlantic.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic
A close eye is also being kept on the area of disturbed weather north of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola that contains part of what was once-Tropical Storm Gabrielle.

The window can open for this area to gradually become better organized if the disruptive wind shear in its path to the north lessens.
Even if development occurs, the cold front set to bring another shot of cool air to the Northeast late this week will keep the system away from the United States.
Interests in Bermuda, however, should monitor the feature. Some drenching showers and thunderstorms could still reach the island nation midweek regardless of whether or not a tropical depression takes shape.
The AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center will also be watching the southwestern Gulf of Mexico for another system to follow in the footsteps of once-Tropical Depression Eight and Tropical Storm Fernand.