The tropics, remember them?  Sandy beaches, rum drinks and palm trees, they’re still there. Tropical storms, not so much.

The Inter-tropical convergence zone draped along 10N is showing 2-3 tropical easterly waves, all displaying disorganized wimpy convection as they tromp west. The tail end of a cold front, a shear zone to be weather-weenie correct, over the Bahamas has some embedded convection but no future plans. All these features are being challenged by persistent upper level shear that has kept the GoMex, Caribbean and North Atlantic tropics very quiet this season, and should continue to do so for the rest of the season (famous last words?). There is no potential for any development of these features to develop or intensify over the weekend. A quick scamper though last night’s models runs show no suspect features in the next 144+ hours.

The National Hurricane Center, desperate for something to do, is watching a swirl over the Azores for signs of intensification. OK, for that swirl to be a threat for Folly Beach, the sun would begin to rise in the west and set in the east; end of story.

If you want action go to Guam. So far, in the other pond, there have been 18 tropical storms and hurricanes in the Eastern Pacific, 3 rare storms in the Central Pacific and 20 in the Western Pacific; some of those were 135+ kt super typhoons. Ouch.

Mark Malsick

Severe Weather Liaison

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

State Climate Office

1000 Assembly Street Columbia, SC 29202

803-734-0039

MalsickM@dnr.sc.gov