|
| Home | Currently | Tadpoles | Pictures | Stuff |
| Page Path: Home / Stuff / WX / TropicalStorms / 2006 / Helene.aspx |
| This Page is a PRE Phase 9 Page, so the formatting might not be on par with the newer pages in the site. |
| Major Hurricane Helene |
| And then there were three |
|
... TD8 formed when Florence and Gordon were still active... it basically
formed right off the coast of Africa, as the wave encountered open water. After spinning around at just over tropical storm strength for a few days, it eventually became the fourth hurricane of the Atlantic Season. It gave Europe a wallop, but at the time, it was extratropical
|
| September 12 - Forming? |
|
Tropical Depression 8 formed 185 miles south-southeast of the Cape Verde
Islands at 11 a.m. ET today. It is moving rapidly off to the west at 18 mph
and should become the eighth tropical storm of the season later today or
Wednesday. If it gains tropical storm status its name would be Helene.
Of all September storms that formed near where TD8 currently is, only 3 have hit the US... but one of those was Hugo.
|
| September 13 - Organizing |
|
The eighth tropical depression of the Atlantic season has formed almost 200
miles south of the Cape Verde Islands on Tuesday. This will likely become
the eighth named storm of the Atlantic season and the name will be Helene.
This system should gradually strengthen and may become a hurricane over the
next couple of days.
|
| September 13 - Finally gets a name |
|
Tropical Depression 8 has been upgraded to Tropical Storm Helene (40 mph)
and is steaming westward at a good clip several hundred miles SW of the Cape
Verde Islands. The system is expected to take on a more west-northwesterly
track in time, and may eventually reach hurricane intensity. Right now,
Helene is forecast to remain in the open waters of the central Atlantic.
|
| September 15 - Continued slow building, but staying out at sea |
|
Tropical Storm Helene (winds of 45 mph), nearly a thousand miles west of the
Cape Verde Islands, continues to move west-northwest. Helene is beginning to
get better organized, and is forecast to become a hurricane in the next day
or so. With the forecast track in a west-northwest motion, Helene will not
threaten any land in the coming days. Further into next week, the track of
this system will have to be monitored given it will be in closer proximity
to Bermuda.
|
| September 16 - The Fourth Hurricane |
|
Helene (winds of 75 mph), is the fourth hurricane in the Atlantic Basin.
Helene continues to very slowly get better organized while moving west
northwest, over 1100 miles east of the Leeward Islands. The forecast track
calls for a west northwest motion.Further into next week, the track of this
system will have to be monitored as it approaches Bermuda. A cold front
coming off the East coast will steer it clear of the United States.
|
| September 18 - Second Major Storm of the season |
|
Hurricane Helene is the second major hurricane in the Atlantic this season,
with sustained winds of 120 mph. Additional strengthening is expected over
the next day or two as the hurricane remains in a favorable environment for
development. Helene is expected to take a mainly northwestward track over
the next several days. Higher surf will begin to impact Bermuda by midweek.
With an eventual track to the north, Helene is expected to have no impact on
the U.S. East Coast. It is still too early to tell what, if any, direct
impacts Helene will have on Bermuda.
|
| September 19 - Well clear of land |
|
Hurricane Helene is a category 3 hurricane with winds of 115 mph. With the
hurricane moving into a more favorable environment, some additional
strengthening is expected over the next 24 hours. While Helene is currently
moving more towards the west, all forecast models hook the hurricane rapidly
to the north, keeping it east of Bermuda. This track seems likely as a deep
trough moves off the U.S. East Coast and steers it away from land.
|
| September 20 - Starting the turn |
|
Hurricane Helene is still a strong hurricane, currently a category 2 on the
Saffir-Simpson scale. It has begun to feel the influence of the steering
winds ahead of it by turning more towards the northwest. This path of motion
is expected to continue over the next couple of days as Helene passes well
east of Bermuda. Some higher surf can be expected to impact Bermuda, while
swells of 4-8 feet could impact the U.S. East Coast later on Wednesday.
|
| September 21 - Weakening, and running onto a trough. |
|
Hurricane Helene has weakened with winds now of 90 mph as of the 5AM
advisory. As a significant trough moves away from the eastern United States,
this will help push Helene northeast, away from Bermuda. This trough will
eventually weaken the system even further as it accelerates off to the
northeast. Although the hurricane will pass well east of Bermuda, high waves
and surf of 18 to 24 feet will impact the southeast and east reefs of
Bermuda, and surf of 4 to 7 feet may impact the extern Coast of United
States. There will also be a danger of rip currents.
|
| September 22 - Further Weakening |
|
In the Atlantic Basin, Hurricane Helene (winds of 85 mph) is beginning to
move northeast away from Bermuda. As a significant upper trough approaches
the area, Helene will begin to accelerate even more off to the northeast and
eventually weaken. Some higher waves and rip currents are still impacting
parts of Bermuda, but these will lessen over the next day or so.
|
| September 24 - Extra Tropical |
|
Helene became extratropical late Sunday morning EDT. The remnants of Helene
should impact the northwestern islands of the Azores with gusty winds (35-50
mph) and high surf (16-22 feet) into Monday morning.
|
| September 27 - One last blurb in the News |
|
Helene's
Last Hurrah