Posts Tagged ‘Tropics’

Brief Cool Down for Central Europe

Wednesday, October 15th, 2008

With hurricane season winding down, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) has made some questionable decisions in naming storms; the most recent example is the naming of Nana. This storm formed then dissipated faster than the recent rally on Wall Street. There are several theories as to why they are naming questionable storms, none of which I will get into here, but it is worth mentioning to prevent getting sucked in with the number of storms in a season. In fact, this year threatens to break last year’s record of the fewest tropical cyclone days in the Northern Hemisphere. 

Of course, the number of cyclone days will not make much of a difference as it only takes one or two storms to hinder petroleum production. Currently, there are 2 systems of interest in the Caribbean, neither of which will impact the production region. Hurricane Omar has developed, as predicted, southeast of Puerto Rico and is forecast to head north into the open Atlantic. Its remnants will be worth watching as they could play a role in European weather next week.  Tropical Depression 16 has formed just east of Honduras and is forecast to move west over the next 24 hours. Naming of this system SHOULD NOT happen but as we’ve seen in the past, it is not out of the question. 

Temperatures across the continent will see a slight cooling period as a trough moves in from the northwest. Heating demand will see a boost over the next 24-72 hours in central Europe. Eastern Germany could see highs in the single digits in some locations while Berlin will see highs around 12 C Friday through Sunday.  London will see below average temperatures through the weekend before warming back up early next week. Omar impacts could throw a wrench in this forecast as the final track is not yet fully known. 

  

 High temps for Europe through next week.

 

Tropics Flare Up, No Threat to Production Region

Monday, October 13th, 2008

This past weekend was quite warm across much of the mainland with Paris and Berlin being almost 5 C above normal and Madrid being 3 C above. This continues the trend of warm weather in October. Moscow started the month with temperatures 5.3C above normal for the first week.  The warm weather stretched across much of Russia even through Siberia. 

This week will bring much of the same with a slight cool down later in the week. Temperatures will only cool slightly though, keeping temperatures above normal. This trend will continue for much of October with brief cool periods embedded within long stretches of warm weather.  A broad cool down is not forecast at any point in the next 2 weeks.
 
Tropical activity has ramped up this past weekend with a new tropical storm being named and an area of likely development being identified. Tropical Storm Nana formed in the middle of the Atlantic and conditions are unfavorable for it to survive the week. It will pose no threat to land or the production region. An area of thunderstorms south of Puerto Rico is expected to intensify into a tropical storm, fortunately for consumers it will likely head north into the open Atlantic. 

Tropical Atlantic 2008-10-13

 

Warm Temperatures Hurt Heating Demand

Friday, October 10th, 2008
Tropical activity is still non-existent right now but there are some areas of investigation. The most prominent is still in the middle of the Atlantic and any threat to the production region is low. Historically, storm development this time of year is confined to the western Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. 
 
As expected, NAO values are beginning to trend neutral and should go positive shortly. A positive NAO typically leads to a warm dry weather in much of southern Europe while the UK and Scandinavia are typically warm and wet. Its impact is most relevant in the winter months as the Icelandic low and Bermuda high help direct storms into northern Europe. 
 
NAO through Oct. 10
 
 
Temperatures this weekend, and even into next week, will be well above normal for much of the continent. Berlin, Paris, and Madrid will all have high temperatures 2-4 C above normal. Heating demand will suffer as the temperatures rise. A frontal system will be coming in from the Atlantic bringing with is some rain into Spain as well as some potential thunderstorms. Also with this approaching system, strong winds will be observed throughout southern Spain.