Origins
editA tropical wave, or elongated low pressure area, exited western Africa on September 7. It moved westward across the Atlantic Ocean, initially without significant amounts of convection, or thunderstorms. On September 13, the wave developed an area of convection, although it soon diminished. While the wave was continuing across the tropical Atlantic, a cold front was moving southward across the central Atlantic, and on September 13 became stationary to the north of Puerto Rico. The end of the front degenerated into a remnant trough, which moved slowly westward due to building high pressures to its east.[1] Initially there were no signs of tropical cyclogenesis, although upper-level conditions had the potential to become more conducive for development.[2] On September 16, the tropical wave moved across the Lesser Antilles with little convection,[1] although that day the thunderstorms became more concentrated along the trough.[3] Later on September 16, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) first remarked the potential for the development of a tropical depression.[4] On September 17, the wave merged with the trough to the north of Puerto Rico.[1]
After the systems merged, upper-level conditions continued to become more favorable for development.[5] On September 17, a low pressure area developed within the system about 250 mi (400 km) east of the Turks and Caicos Islands.[6] At 1800 UTC that day, the system organized enough to warrant classifications via the Dvorak technique, which is a system designed to estimate tropical systems' intensities with satellite imagery.[1]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d Richard D. Knabb, Daniel P. Brown, and Jamie R. Rhome (2006-03-17). "Hurricane Rita Tropical Cyclone Report" (PDF). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-02-26.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Richard Pasch (2005-09-15). "Tropical Weather Outlook". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
- ^ Jack Beven (2005-09-16). "Tropical Weather Outlook". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
- ^ Stacy Stewart (2005-09-16). "Tropical Weather Outlook". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
- ^ Richard Knabb (2005-09-17). "Tropical Weather Outlook". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-02-29.
- ^ Jack Beven (2005-09-17). "Tropical Weather Outlook". National Hurricane Center. Retrieved 2012-02-29.