Strengthening Karl to spark rough surf along US East Coast beaches

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

September 20,2016; 9:34PM,EDT

 

 

Karl remains on track to strengthen into the next Atlantic hurricane of the season before approaching Bermuda.
The system will stir up surf along United States Atlantic beaches as the weekend approaches.
Karl will move northwestward into an area of the Atlantic and the atmosphere that will favor strengthening this week, according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski.

"Karl is likely to become a hurricane by the end of this week," Kottlowski said.
As Karl reaches this status, it will move to the north of the Caribbean Islands. Increasing damaging winds and flooding rain around Karl will remain over the open waters of the Atlantic, posing dangers to shipping interests.

However, the risk of rough surf and rip currents will build on the north- and east-facing beaches from the Leeward Islands to Hispaniola and the Bahamas. The danger will unfold in an east-to-west fashion from Tuesday to Thursday.
"There is only a slight chance that Karl will move far enough to the northwest to hit the U.S.," Kottlowski said.
This is a live loop of Karl (NOAA/Satellite).
This weekend, a push of cool air is likely to steer Karl away from the U.S.
While Karl is forecast to stay east of the U.S., it could pass near Bermuda this weekend.
Those in Bermuda should closely monitor the storm as the track and more details on possible impacts unfold.
Even if Karl steers east of the U.S., swells generated by the future hurricane are likely to reach the East Coast and create hazards for swimmers and boaters by this weekend. The routes of freight and cruise ships over the southwestern Atlantic Ocean could be impacted.

The danger of rough surf and rip currents would endanger residents and late-season vacationers hoping to take advantage of the still warm water temperatures. Following Julia, it would mark the second weekend in a row of a tropical system stirring up seas at the Southeast beaches.
How close Karl tracks to the U.S. and its speed would determine the severity and duration of the rough seas.
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Elsewhere in the Atlantic, a budding system near the Cabo Verde Islands has developed into Tropical Storm Lisa.
"Due to the forecast northwestward track, Lisa will not threaten land later this week and this weekend," Kottlowski said.
Beyond Cabo Verde, such a path would take it into the open waters of the eastern Atlantic Ocean with only shipping interests being affected.