Tropical Disturbance Near Cape Verde Islands Becomes Fifth Depression of Atlantic Season

The Atlantic Tropics are beginning to stir again after a quiet couple weeks. The disturbance in the Eastern Atlantic that was mentioned earlier in a previous blog post has been classified as a tropical depression by the National Hurricane Center in Miami late Wednesday night. This is the fifth depression in the Atlantic so far this season. August is the beginning of the peak season in the Atlantic as the Cape Verde Islands off the African coast are now becoming a prime breeding ground for powerful hurricanes.

As of the 11:00 PM EDT Advisory from the National Hurricane Center has TD #5 located some 80 miles to the Southeast of the Southernmost Cape Verde Islands in the Eastern Atlantic. A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued by the government in the Cape Verde Islands for the islands of Maio, Santiago, Fogo, and Brava. Currently, maximum sustained winds with the depression are at 35 miles per hour with gusts estimated at 45 miles per hour. Minimum central pressure in the depression’s center of circulation is down to 1008 millibars or 29.77 inches of Hg. Wind and pressure data is based on satellite interpretation.

The depression is moving gradually to the West-Northwest at 14 miles per hour. Wind and rain will be the primary effects from this storm with tropical storm force winds expected across the Cape Verde Islands and rainfall amounts between 2 to 4 inches possible. The forecast discussion from the NHC indicates that the storm will have fluctuations in strength over the next five days. Over the first 48 to 72 hours, the depression is expected to strengthen to a strong tropical storm with 60 mile per hour winds, but then will wane in days four and five with winds decreasing to between 45 and 50 miles per hour.

Reasons for the pessimism beyond day three are because of cooler sea surface temperatures and more stability in the Central Atlantic. In addition, there may be less moisture available in the Central Atlantic for the depression to tap into. TD Five is the third tropical cyclone to form in the far Eastern Atlantic so far this season. Both Chantal and Dorian formed further west and had some obstacles including their own fast moving circulations to hinder their development. So far, the new depression is moving much slower, which will give it a better chance to have showers and storms develop around and over its center of circulation. There is plenty of time to watch this depression, but there is also another disturbance to worry about in the Northwestern Caribbean, and that could become a depression soon as well.