Storm Continues to Strengthen with Winds Now at 50 MPH

The Tropical Atlantic continues to pick up as we head toward the statistical peak of the 2016 season on September 10th. Over the past several days, we have been watching the Eastern Atlantic where a disturbance became the latest tropical depression on Monday afternoon. Since then, the depression continued to strengthen, and became Tropical Storm Gaston on Monday night.

As of 5:00 AM EDT on Tuesday morning, Gaston is located some 545 miles to the West of the Southernmost Cabo Verde Islands. Moving briskly to the West-Northwest at 20 miles per hour, Gaston has continued to strengthen, and now has maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour with gusts up to 60 miles per hour. Minimum central pressure is estimated at 1004 millibars, or 29.65 inches of Hg (Mercury).

Based on satellite imagery, tropical storm force winds in Gaston extend some 60 miles from its center of circulation. The National Hurricane Center indicates that additional strengthening is forecast, and Gaston could become a hurricane by Wednesday. An eye feature has been detected, and there continues to be better organized thunderstorm activity as well as good outflow, or exhaust from the system. Environmental conditions are also very conducive for development.

Gaston is currently in an area where there is very little wind shear, and sea surface temperatures are adequate at 28 degrees Celsius or 82 degrees Fahrenheit. The latest forecast discussion from the NHC indicates that these conditions would be good for rapid intensification, but the intensity forecast is more modest with Gaston reaching 90 mile per hour winds within 48 hours. The storm’s forecast track is looking like it will move more to the Northwest after about 48 hours.