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Hurricane and Tropical Storm Tracking 2008

All data provided by the National Hurricane Center.

The 2008 Hurricane Season

Opening Season Preamble (21st April, 2008)

I've been looking at the Intellicast west Atlantic map recently to try and spot any signs of tropical activity, but, as yet, there is no sign of anything. The tropics around the west African coast do not look favourable for the time being due to a high pressure system in the mid Atlantic that is allowing a more westerly airstream to it's south.

Last year we had an early sub-tropical storm that formed off the east coast of Florida on the 9th of May - sub-tropical storm Andrea - so that's what we'll be looking for again this season. As usual, we will do our best to track all the active storms in the 2008 hurricane season, so keep checking this page regularly. Hurricane Arthur or Tropical Storm Arthur will be the first of the season when it appears, and we will be ready to track it.

Here's hoping the season will not be too active, despite the pundits forecasting a very active year.

Here's the list of 2008 contenders.

Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna, Ike, Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paloma, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky, Wilfred

...WARNING EXTENDED WESTWARD ALONG THE NORTH COAST OF HISPANIOLA...

AT 11 AM AST...1500 UTC...A TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE NORTH COAST OF HAITI FROM THE BORDER WITH THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC WESTWARD TO LE MOLE ST. NICHOLAS AT THE NORTHWESTERN TIP OF HAITI. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT ALONG THE NORTHERN COAST OF HISPANIOLA FROM CABO ENGANO IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC TO LE MOLE ST. NICHOLAS HAITI.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTHERN COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC FROM CABO ENGANO TO PUNTA PALENQUE.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH OR WARNING MAY BE REQUIRED FOR THE SOUTHEASTERN BAHAMAS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS LATER TODAY.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 1100 AM AST...1500Z...THE CENTER OF SUBTROPICAL STORM OLGA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 18.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 68.0 WEST OR ABOUT 130 MILES...205 KM...EAST-SOUTHEAST OF SANTO DOMINGO IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND ABOUT 125 MILES...205 KM...WEST OF SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO.

OLGA IS MOVING JUST SOUTH OF DUE WEST NEAR 15 MPH...24 KM/HR...AND THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF OLGA IS EXPECTED TO PASS VERY CLOSE TO THE SOUTHERN COAST OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC LATER TODAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 45 MPH...75 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH IS EXPECTED TODAY...BUT SOME WEAKENING IS LIKELY TOMORROW AS OLGA ENCOUNTERS STRONG UPPER-LEVEL WINDS.

OLGA'S STRONGEST WINDS ARE LOCATED WELL AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF CIRCULATION...WHICH IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF SUBTROPICAL CYCLONES. WINDS OF 40 MPH EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 275 MILES...445 KM TO THE NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF THE CENTER. NOAA BUOY 41043...ABOUT 270 MILES FROM THE CENTER...RECENTLY REPORTED A SUSTAINED WIND OF 40 MPH WITH A GUST TO 54 MPH.

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1005 MB...29.68 INCHES.