Pressures Still High with Tropical Depression Eight

Hurricane Hunter Aircraft Find Depression Still Weak

Besides Tropical Depression Nine, there is another immediate threat to the United States coastline this early Monday morning. Tropical Depression Eight, which formed late Sunday morning, is creeping ever so close to the Outer Banks of North Carolina at the moment. However, pressures still remain high with the depression, and shower and thunderstorm activity continues to be weak and disorganized.

As of the 8:00 AM Advisory from the National Hurricane Center, the depression was located approximately 210 miles to the Southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The system was moving slowly to the Northwest at 9 miles per hour. Maximum sustained winds were at 35 miles per hour with gusts up to 45 miles per hour. Minimum central pressure in the depression actually rose one millibar from our last blog entry to 1011, or 29.86 inches of Hg.

So, the pressures with the depression remain high, which is an indication that the system is still weak and disorganized. Looking at the latest satellite imagery from the Atlantic, clouds from shower and thunderstorm activity remain disorganized. Right now, the depression continues to battle shear and dry air. However, the shear is expected to slacken and more humid air is expected to build in over the next 48 hours. As a result, the NHC intensity forecast calls for gradual intensification over the next 48 to 72 hours.

Looking at the forecast track for TD #8, the system is expected to make a close approach to the Outer Banks of North Carolina from sometime on late Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning as a minimal tropical storm. Afterwards, the system is expected to turn more toward the northeast and away from the coast while also picking up some forward speed as it falls under the influence of the westerlies. A Tropical Storm Watch