Hurricane season has arrived in Cape Verde, marked by the emergence of the longest and most potent storms.
Cape Verde storms, a unique and powerful type of hurricane, are born from the clash of hot dry air from the Sahara and hot humid air over the Gulf of Guinea. These storms form off the west coast of Africa and move across the Atlantic Ocean, fueled by the thousands of miles of ocean water above the 80-degree Fahrenheit (27-degree Celsius) temperature needed for hurricanes to thrive.
The formation and growth of Cape Verde storms are heavily dependent on specific conditions. They mostly occur in August and September when the atmosphere is ripe for their development. However, the dry air and dust from the Sahara can inhibit their development by lessening the high humidity they need.
Interestingly, about 85% of all major hurricanes (Category 3 and higher) start out as Cape Verde storms, according to the National Hurricane Center. These storms are known for their strength, which is attributed to the fact that they have more time to develop as they travel across the Atlantic Ocean.
Currently, two clusters of thunderstorms east of Hurricane Erin have the potential to develop into tropical storms. These are designated as Invest 98L and Invest 99L. Hurricane Erin, a Cape Verde storm, is being closely monitored by the national hurricane center.
Researchers have spent years studying the ocean and atmosphere in the far eastern Atlantic to understand why some storms form and some don't. The warm water is essential for hurricanes to thrive, and it takes at least 10 days for a potential hurricane to cross the Atlantic Ocean.
It's important to note that while Cape Verde storms can be powerful, less than one out of every 10 of these storms crashes into the U.S. The rest either fall apart or are curved out to sea by the north and east steering winds that normally prevail over the Atlantic.
The list of famous Cape Verde hurricanes includes the 1900 Galveston Hurricane, the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane, hurricanes Donna, Hugo, Andrew, Ivan, Ike, Irma, and Florence. However, only nine out of the 60 hurricanes that struck the U.S. since 1995 were Cape Verde storms that tracked all the way across the Atlantic.
Forecasters begin to lose confidence in their ability to predict the future of any specific storms more than a week out. Despite this, the importance of monitoring these storms cannot be overstated, as they have the potential to cause significant damage when they make landfall.
In conclusion, Cape Verde storms are a unique and powerful type of hurricane that form off the west coast of Africa and travel across the Atlantic Ocean. While they can be destructive, their formation and trajectory are influenced by a complex interplay of factors, making their prediction and tracking a challenging yet crucial task for meteorologists.
