Hurricane Alex - 1st January Atlantic hurricane since 1938

[Cambium]

[nei]

reposting this from the weather forum

Hurricane Alex made landfall in the Azores. Not only rare to see a January landfalling hurricane, but rare to see a landfalling hurricane that far north (37°N) anytime of the year, let alone January.

Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog : Astounding Alex Hits the Azores: January

Sea temperatures were a bit above normal, but not by a lot. Maybe this is the best explanation?

The Northeast Atlantic is a challenging location for hurricane development thanks in large part to its relatively cool water. Alex took on its tropical characteristics while over waters that were 20-22°C (68-72°F). Although these are up to 1°C above average for this time of year, they are far cooler than usually required for tropical cyclone development. However, upper-level temperatures near Alex were unusually cold for the latitude, which meant that instability--driven by the contrast between warm, moist lower levels and cold, drier upper levels--was higher than it would otherwise be. That instability allowed showers and thunderstorms to blossom and consolidate, strengthening the warm core that made Alex a hurricane as opposed to an extratropical or subtropical storm.

[newtocolumbia]

Originally Posted by nei

reposting this from the weather forum

Hurricane Alex made landfall in the Azores. Not only rare to see a January landfalling hurricane, but rare to see a landfalling hurricane that far north (37°N) anytime of the year, let alone January.

Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog : Astounding Alex Hits the Azores: January

Sea temperatures were a bit above normal, but not by a lot. Maybe this is the best explanation?

The Northeast Atlantic is a challenging location for hurricane development thanks in large part to its relatively cool water. Alex took on its tropical characteristics while over waters that were 20-22°C (68-72°F). Although these are up to 1°C above average for this time of year, they are far cooler than usually required for tropical cyclone development. However, upper-level temperatures near Alex were unusually cold for the latitude, which meant that instability--driven by the contrast between warm, moist lower levels and cold, drier upper levels--was higher than it would otherwise be. That instability allowed showers and thunderstorms to blossom and consolidate, strengthening the warm core that made Alex a hurricane as opposed to an extratropical or subtropical storm.

Again. There was NO wind, no hurricane, not much rain either. Gladly, of course. Our normal frequent winds at other times are so strong you could mistake their gusts for a hurricane, yet during "Alex" it was calm all the way through the "landfall". I live in the central Azores, right where "Alex" was making a "land fall". Do you believe someone who lives here or who owns a forum chatting about weather in the US 3000 miles away from where it all happens? The winds supposed to be 110 mph. Well, there wasn't even a wind of 5 mph. I was holding a candle outside and the flame was shooting straight up. Accordingly to the satellite imagery we should have received winds of at least 60-80 mph from "Alex" on where I am located at. None. Perhaps an unsuccessful attempt to create a fake hurricane? Allegedly. I mean, why not, such technology already exists. I know, conspiracies sound so ridiculous, yet again, there was No hurricane. If chemtrails exist, so can hurricane faking technology. I asked people on other islands, they said it was calm throughout those days. Perhaps "Alex" forgot to turn "wind" on. Or it could be a new kind of hurricane that is all clouds and no wind made of fluff or chaff. As a result we felt so haarpy and lucky to have not been hit by this whatever it was. Felt so intimidated by Weather.con which were spreading panic before "Alex" "hit".