Tropical Storm Jose Forms as Hurricane Franklin Weakens
As the Carolinas continue to recover from the remnants of Hurricane Idalia and with Hurricane Franklin churning in the distant Atlantic, Tropical Storm Jose has formed, becoming the latest named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season.
As of 5 a.m. Thursday, Jose had maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour, just enough to qualify as a named storm. The storm was located approximately 785 miles east of Bermuda. Forecasters do not expect Jose to significantly strengthen and they predict that it will be absorbed by Hurricane Franklin over the weekend.
But how can one storm absorb another? It turns out, it’s possible through a phenomenon called the Fujiwhara effect. Jose is weaker compared to Franklin, which was the Atlantic’s first major hurricane of the year. Franklin is now beginning to weaken and transition into a more typical storm system. By the weekend, Jose will be absorbed by Franklin, similar to a sponge absorbing water.
The Fujiwhara effect occurs when two storms orbit around a shared center point. While more common in the west Pacific, this effect can also happen in the Atlantic. Sometimes, storms of equal strength spin around each other and then separate. In other cases, they merge and create a stronger storm. However, in the case of Jose and Franklin, with Franklin being the more significant storm, it will spell Jose’s demise.
Interestingly, Jose is not the only active storm in the Atlantic. Hurricane Idalia battered the Big Bend region of Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday morning, before moving through South Carolina overnight. Alongside Franklin, these three storms have heightened concerns about the ongoing hurricane season.
Last year saw a record-breaking 14 named storms, following extremely busy Atlantic hurricane seasons in 2020 and 2021. This year’s El Niño pattern, which arrived in June, typically reduces the number of Atlantic hurricanes by increasing wind shear. However, the elevated sea surface temperatures have the potential to supercharge storms, making predictions more difficult for scientists and researchers.
It is widely accepted among scientists that hurricanes are becoming more powerful due to climate change. While the overall number of named storms may not increase, the likelihood of major hurricanes is on the rise. Climate change also affects the amount of rainfall that storms can produce, as warmer air can hold more moisture. This was evident in the devastating Hurricane Harvey, which caused widespread flooding in Texas in 2017.
As the Atlantic hurricane season continues, it is crucial for coastal communities to remain vigilant and prepared for the potential impacts of these powerful storms.