Fernand Forms...Another Wasted Storm Name

NHC upgraded TD # 6 to Fernand this evening despite the fact it has about 6 hours until landfall.  As former NHC Director Dr. Neil Frank once told me,…” they name things now far quicker than in my day,”  One could argue that the improved technology allows that to happen, but how in the world can we compare the past to the present knowing we’re not comparing apples to apples?   My take?   As a lawyer friend once told me…” if you suspect a conflict of interest, then there usually is one.”    The idea that a branch of NOAA (Climate Prediction) makes the Hurricane Season projections while another branch of NOAA (NHC) verifies the storms makes for, at the very least, an appearance of impropriety.  Whatever. This system will be onshore before you get your morning paper and is a rain threat for Mexico.

 

Of more importance, the MJO is going favorable (rising air) in our part of the World for the next 2-3 weeks and computer models are picking up on waves moving off of Africa and becoming our next named storms.   I have been saying this for a while so it should come as no surprise.  Get ready to be following 2 or more named systems at the same time,  Far too early to know if thet will enter the Gulf although I think the pattern has been set up for them to make the turn up the East Coast and not be our threat.   Stay tuned!