Sarasota hurricane expert: Record-warm Gulf of Mexico is 'rocket fuel for hurricanes' (Tampa: transfer)

[wondermint2]

This is a good detailed interview from a hurricane expert.

For full interview:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/to...ca1dee8a&ei=56

Sarasota and Manatee counties were about 150 miles east of Hurricane Idalia’s circulation center this past week, though the storm still delivered damaging storm surge flood effects, driving saltwater across beaches and bayfronts into waterfront neighborhoods and downtown streets in Sarasota, Venice and Bradenton.

Dr. Bob Bunting, founder of the Sarasota-based Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Center, forecast tropical systems for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for more than 20 years and continues to do so today for his own organization.

Bunting, in his annual tropical weather season outlook last spring, predicted 14 named storms would form in the Atlantic basin. Idalia was No. 9.

The NOAA recently revised its estimates of a "near normal" storm season to "above normal," meaning the chances now exist for 14 to 21 named storms. The agency cited warmer than average ocean and Gulf water temperatures as a driving factor. Vince would be No. 21 (with no storm name beginning with Q or U).

Bunting discussed the season remaining with Community News Collaborative, including Idalia’s unusual behavior, a historical perspective on “I” storms, and the myth that Sarasota-Manatee is protected by Native American folklore.

[wondermint2]

Hurricane Idalia really cooled down water temperatures in the Gulf! Although I don't expect it to stay this way.

Gulf of Mexico days after Hurricane Idalia: What are the water temperatures looking like?

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/to...b4a326cf&ei=37

As Florida nears both the end of summer and the peak of hurricane season, surrounding water temperatures are bound to be hotter than at other times of the year – especially in the Gulf of Mexico.

But what happens to water temperatures after a hurricane blows through the area? A look at current temps for the Gulf along some areas of Florida's west coast in the wake of Hurricane Idalia shows a slight decrease in the average climate.

According to a data table from the National Centers for Environmental Information, coastal cities like Venice, Fort Myers, Port Manatee, St. Petersburg, East Bay, Clearwater Beach, Apalachicola, Panama City Beach and Pensacola are all showing below-average water temperatures for this time of year.

Here's a breakdown of the average and current temperatures (11 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 4):

Venice
Current: 84.4
Average: 87.4

Fort Myers
Current: 84.4
Average: 87.1

Port Manatee
Current: 82.4
Average: 87.6

St. Petersburg
Current: 85.5
Average: 88.6

East Bay
Current: 86.2
Average: 88.3

Clearwater Beach
Current: 85.1
Average: 87.7

Apalachicola
Current: 84.2
Average: 84.9

Panama City Beach
Current: 85.1
Average: 85.4

Pensacola
Current: 85.3
Average: 86.4

West Tampa and Old Port Tampa are the only areas as of 11 a.m. showing average water temps with the average being 85.6 and 88.3 degrees respectively.

NASA Earth Observatory explains hurricanes actually cool the ocean by basically being a "heat engine" that transfers heat from the surface of the ocean to the atmosphere through evaporation.

"Cooling is also caused by upwelling of cold water from below due to the suction effect of the low-pressure center of the storm," the agency explains online. "Additional cooling may come from cold water from raindrops that remain on the ocean surface for a time."

Along with those reasons, clouds can also play a role in the cooler temperatures by blocking direct sunlight from hitting the water.