South Carolina under pre-season tropical storm watch???

A large swath of coastal South Carolina is under a tropical storm watch due to Alberto, the first named tropical storm of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season.
As of 11 p.m. ET Saturday, Alberto was about 110 miles (180 kilometers) southeast of Charleston, South Carolina, and about 155 miles (250 kilometers) east Savannah, Georgia, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. The storm carried maximum sustained winds of about 50 mph (85 kph).
The tropical storm watch area stretches from the Savannah River, which separates Georgia from South Carolina, to the South Santee River in South Carolina.

Source: CNN

How weird is this? When was the last pre-season storm?

I'm not saying this is a 2012 phenomenon thing, but, 2012 anybody? lol

I think usually it comes in August. But, I wouldn't worry, it's no where even near there. They should be fine. Plus we need the rain.

Originally posted by Manhater
I think usually it comes in August. But, I wouldn't worry, it's no where even near there. They should be fine. Plus we need the rain.

edit on 20-5-2012 by Manhater because: (no reason given)

Hurricane season starts in june, I'm very used to it, being that I'm in Houston. But a pre-season on the east coast is just a weird prospect altogether.

Shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, this world is weird in general.

enjoy the Weather, the winter is comin

Originally posted by SkullAndBeats235
enjoy the Weather, the winter is comin

Uh what?

Anyway OP,this is nothing.It's what 11 days short of the actual start of the season?

If this was a CAT 3,4,5 than there would be reason to worry.Its not abnormal.

Originally posted by My.mind.is.mine

Originally posted by Manhater
I think usually it comes in August. But, I wouldn't worry, it's no where even near there. They should be fine. Plus we need the rain.

edit on 20-5-2012 by Manhater because: (no reason given)

Hurricane season starts in june, I'm very used to it, being that I'm in Houston. But a pre-season on the east coast is just a weird prospect altogether.

Really dude? You're in Houston? Texas?

They've had how many Hurricanes?

I've lived on the east coast my whole life... Talk about trying to stir up fear.

Hurricane season starts June 1st this year.

There is nothing special about this storm to be honest. It is a low level tropical depression which should stay off shore and break up rather quickly. As it travels up the coast it will be in increasing cooler water temps.

Concerning the fact that this is a preseason storm... it is not as rare as some might think and it most certainly has nothing to do with 2012.

Since 2005 there have been 7 Storms that formed out of season. Of this 7, only 1 reached Hurricane strength, which would be Epsilon in 2005- a CAT1 which formed in November. Of the 7, a total of 4 have formed in the Month of May, they were Andrea (2007), Arthur (2008), Tropical Depression #1 (2009), and now Alberto.

Wiki has a pretty decent list of off season hurricanes for anyone interested.
Wiki

reply to post by My.mind.is.mine


While the "season" for hurricanes is Jun thru Nov it is not unheard of for storms to develope outside of this time frame. We have had several form in early Dec just after the official end of the season. They ususally dont develope into anything of significance because by that time the waters have started to cool off again and warm waters are needed for full developement of a hurricane.
This past winter was extremely mild here in the US. I do not know if it was also milder than normal over the southern atlantic where these storms form but if it was and the water is already at warmer than expected levels it could mean an early start to the season. This low off the coast was actually spawned by a low coming off the east coast so its origins are not truly tropical in nature anyway. Further developement due to warmer than normal gulf stream may occur it is certainly the reason this one formed so far, but there are systems moving into place now that will move this one away from us and cause it to become extratropical by tomorrow anyway. (extratropical does not mean extra strong it means it is past the tropical stage and being affected by cooler water and air temps)

Originally posted by My.mind.is.mine

Originally posted by Manhater
I think usually it comes in August. But, I wouldn't worry, it's no where even near there. They should be fine. Plus we need the rain.

edit on 20-5-2012 by Manhater because: (no reason given)

Hurricane season starts in june, I'm very used to it, being that I'm in Houston. But a pre-season on the east coast is just a weird prospect altogether.

No its not. Its been much warmer than normal for the past 6 or 7 months, the winter was non existent, so the gulf waters and the gulf stream are warmer than normal that can amount to early developement of tropical storms. This strom however is not truly tropical in nature. It became tropical due to the warm water it is sitting over but its origins were over south eastern coast. When it moved out over the water, the warmer than normal gulf stream caused to to become tropical in nature. Another systems sitting to the south west right now will move Alberto to the north east tomorrow into cooler water where it will become extratropical. ( that = death to a tropical system)

Originally posted by nightstalker78

Originally posted by My.mind.is.mine

Originally posted by Manhater
I think usually it comes in August. But, I wouldn't worry, it's no where even near there. They should be fine. Plus we need the rain.

edit on 20-5-2012 by Manhater because: (no reason given)

Hurricane season starts in june, I'm very used to it, being that I'm in Houston. But a pre-season on the east coast is just a weird prospect altogether.

Really dude? You're in Houston? Texas?

They've had how many Hurricanes?

I've lived on the east coast my whole life... Talk about trying to stir up fear.

edit on 20-5-2012 by nightstalker78 because: (no reason given)

Ok I am also a life long resident of the eastern coast of the United States but even I know that Texas does in fact get hurricanes. They have a rather large portion of the coast of the gulf of mexico to contend with. Galveston Tx was the site of one of the most deadly hurricanes in US history. Over 7000 people lost their lives in Oct of 1900.

Originally posted by nightstalker78

Originally posted by My.mind.is.mine

Originally posted by Manhater
I think usually it comes in August. But, I wouldn't worry, it's no where even near there. They should be fine. Plus we need the rain.

edit on 20-5-2012 by Manhater because: (no reason given)

Hurricane season starts in june, I'm very used to it, being that I'm in Houston. But a pre-season on the east coast is just a weird prospect altogether.

Really dude? You're in Houston? Texas?

They've had how many Hurricanes?

I've lived on the east coast my whole life... Talk about trying to stir up fear.

edit on 20-5-2012 by nightstalker78 because: (no reason given)

Enough.. How am I trying to stir up fear?

Originally posted by MrWendal
Hurricane season starts June 1st this year.

There is nothing special about this storm to be honest. It is a low level tropical depression which should stay off shore and break up rather quickly. As it travels up the coast it will be in increasing cooler water temps.

Concerning the fact that this is a preseason storm... it is not as rare as some might think and it most certainly has nothing to do with 2012.

Since 2005 there have been 7 Storms that formed out of season. Of this 7, only 1 reached Hurricane strength, which would be Epsilon in 2005- a CAT1 which formed in November. Of the 7, a total of 4 have formed in the Month of May, they were Andrea (2007), Arthur (2008), Tropical Depression #1 (2009), and now Alberto.

Wiki has a pretty decent list of off season hurricanes for anyone interested.
Wiki

And Jun 1st is only 10 days away anyway so this is not really pre-season when you get right down to it.

I live in Florida. Weird is one developing in the middle of winter. Weird is 3 storms criss-crossing the state to the point of having a common intersect point (2004, yo) A mediocre TS off the Carolinas 2 weeks early isn't all that weird. Uncommon, but not that weird, honestly. This is just a big, prolonged thunderstorm at this point for them. Not a big deal. If it were a Cat 2 or 3, then we'd be talking a biiiiig deal for the timeframe.

reply to post by karen61057


Technically it is. That is the whole point of having set dates for a season. So as far as record keeping purposes go, this is an out of season storm. It wouldnt matter if it was 60 days or 2 days, it is still considered an out of season storm.

That being said, it is still not an uncommon occurrence either way.

here are the earliest formed records based on Category. I guess we've had tropical storms earlier than this year's but it still may be a record season!

SS
1978
"January Subtropical"
January 18

TS
1952
"Groundhog Day"
February 2

1
1908
Storm 1
March 6

2
1908
Storm 1
March 7

3
1951
Hurricane Able
May 21

4
1957
Hurricane Audrey
June 27

5
2005
Hurricane Emily
July 17

2005 is the year we "ran out of names"

reply to post by PurpleChiten


I am really confused by your post. For starters the Cat 4 and 5 you list happened during the hurricane season. They were not early or out of season.

secondly, what "record season" are you talking about? It can not be 2012 Hurricane Season because this is what they are saying....

We anticipate that the 2012 Atlantic basin hurricane season will have reduced activity compared with the 1981-2010 climatology.

Which goes on to say that it is expect that there will be a below average probability for Hurricanes making landfall in the US.

Source Pdf

Record season? Hardly

Originally posted by MrWendal
reply to post by PurpleChiten

 

I am really confused by your post. For starters the Cat 4 and 5 you list happened during the hurricane season. They were not early or out of season.

secondly, what "record season" are you talking about? It can not be 2012 Hurricane Season because this is what they are saying....

We anticipate that the 2012 Atlantic basin hurricane season will have reduced activity compared with the 1981-2010 climatology.

Which goes on to say that it is expect that there will be a below average probability for Hurricanes making landfall in the US.

Source Pdf

Record season? Hardly

Even though "hurricane season" starts in June, we don't usually start with a category 5, those, when they occur, usually pop up in August. The higher the category, the stronger the storm and there has to be a lot of heat before one can get that strong.
By record year, I meant there were so many named hurricane (tropical storms reaching hurricane status) that we went through the entire list of names (one for each letter of the alphabet) and had to add on for the first time. We had a total of 28 storms, the first time we ever got to the letters V and W and extended into Greek letters. It was the most devasting hurricane season in recorded history. it was forcasted as a "slightly above average season", but resulted in the most major season ever and I feel that we could be in the same position for it to happen again, but hope it doesn't. Our forcasting for hurricane seasons is still quite lacking in accuracy.

en.wikipedia.org...

*I probably should have posted a link with what I provided earlier as well as extrapolated more instead of keeping it short and throwing in "possibilities". Please forgive the "vagueness"

Originally posted by nightstalker78

Originally posted by My.mind.is.mine

Originally posted by Manhater
I think usually it comes in August. But, I wouldn't worry, it's no where even near there. They should be fine. Plus we need the rain.

edit on 20-5-2012 by Manhater because: (no reason given)

Hurricane season starts in june, I'm very used to it, being that I'm in Houston. But a pre-season on the east coast is just a weird prospect altogether.

Really dude? You're in Houston? Texas?

They've had how many Hurricanes?

I've lived on the east coast my whole life... Talk about trying to stir up fear.

edit on 20-5-2012 by nightstalker78 because: (no reason given)

what is so funny? i lived in houston most of my life. people in houston are pretty aware of gulf hurricanes. it's only an hour from the coast. it's not florida but we watch for them because any time one comes into the gulf we have to be prepared.