The predictions of a very active 2010 hurricane season have thus far been correct. This week is the climatological peak of the season and so far we have had 10 named storms. Most seasonal forecasts were calling for 16-20+ named storms by the end of the season. Despite the active tropics... so far we have been very lucky as far as storms impacting the U.S. as none of the named storms has made landfall here.
The reaon why we have been pretty lucky is because the U.S. East coast has been protected by a trof of low pressure that essentially picked up the storms and turned them back out to sea before hitting the U.S.
This 'lucky' may change over the next 10 days as that trof of low pressure is forecast to develop into more of a ridge that would help to push these storms farther west and thus closer to the U.S. and maybe even into the Gulf of Mexico.
So while we have been lucky so far... we may be living on borrowed time. Let's hope the models change their tune over the days ahead.
Of course you can keep up with the latest on the tropics by going to our all new tropical page... www.wjhg.com/tropics.
Stay tuned...
--Chris Smith
Chief Meteorologist
chris.smith@wjhg.com