Two large storms could soon interact with one another, and experts caution that this rare phenomenon could have devastating consequences for parts of the United States.
So far, this year’s Atlantic tropical season has been relatively quiet compared to previous years, with only seven named storms recorded as of September 22.
According to the Met Office, a hurricane receives a name once it reaches tropical storm strength, meaning sustained winds of at least 34 knots.
Now, however, the eighth named storm of the season has formed: Tropical Storm Humberto.
This storm developed on September 24 and, according to AccuWeather, is expected to follow a curved path between Bermuda and the East Coast of the United States.
Meanwhile, another system—currently designated Invest 94L—is projected to strengthen into the ninth named storm of the year, at which point it will be called Storm Imelda.
What Is an ‘Invest’ Storm?
Fox Weather explains that an “invest” is a designation used by the National Hurricane Center to identify areas under investigation for potential development into either a tropical depression (the weakest stage of a tropical cyclone) or a tropical storm within the next seven days.
Areas Likely to Be Affected
Forecasters warn that both the East Coast and the Bahamas are at risk of being impacted by these storms.
“There are too many imaginable scenarios to enumerate, but the bottom line is that everyone in the Bahamas and along the East Coast from Florida to the mid-Atlantic should plan to stay informed this weekend,” cautioned FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross.
Even if Invest 94L remains offshore, flooding could still pose a significant threat in parts of the United States.
WPLG-TV hurricane specialist Michael Lowry, speaking to USA Today, explained: “Even if 94L stays weak and offshore next week, the upper-level pattern with a cutoff low pinching off over the Tennessee Valley could funnel abundant tropical-laden air into the Carolinas and parts of the southern and central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic for the start of next week.”
He added that this could create an “enhanced flood threat for these areas” beginning over the weekend, urging residents to keep monitoring the situation closely.
Concerns Over the ‘Fujiwhara Effect’
Many are now expressing concern that Tropical Storm Humberto and Invest 94L could collide, triggering what is known as the Fujiwhara Effect.
The National Weather Service describes it this way: “When two hurricanes spinning in the same direction pass close enough to each other, they begin an intense dance around their common center.
If one hurricane is a lot stronger than the other, the smaller one will orbit it and eventually come crashing into its vortex to be absorbed.
Two storms closer in strength can gravitate towards each other until they reach a common point and merge, or merely spin each other around for a while before shooting off on their own paths.”
On rare occasions, colliding storms can merge into a single, larger storm rather than dissipating as two separate systems.
For this interaction to occur, the storms must come within 900 miles of each other.
A notable example took place in 2017, when Hurricane Irwin and Hurricane Hilary interacted in the Pacific. The two storms collided but eventually weakened and faded over open waters.
Source: unilad.com