Powerful ocean storm likely this week, impacts remain uncertain
Good afternoon! Forecast models have been honing in on the development of a major coastal storm during the week ahead for several days now, and over the past few days in particular have gotten more intense in regards to its formation. A myriad of factors will lead to a heightened chance of rapid strengthening as the storm emerges from the Bahamas and tracks northward off the US East Coast. But the track of the system, and its resulting impacts, remain highly uncertain.
As is the case with a large majority of storms that develop off the East Coast, the system’s development is the result of very intricate interactions in all levels of the atmosphere. In this case, two distinct disturbances – one emanating from the Pacific Ocean and the other meandering over the Plains and eventually Southern United States – will interact in the Southeast States. The result of the interaction will aid in the development of the mentioned low pressure system, but exactly how and when it occurs will determine where the storm tracks and how intense it becomes.