Atlantic: Last named storm (Rene) of 2008 forming?

[Stuart Robinson]

Today an interesting disturbance has formed north of Panama and has just been classed at Invest 96L. This is most likely the “last chance Salonâ€￾ for the 2008 season as surface sea temps start to decrease.

Upper air wind shear is rather hostile for development right now – but is due to relax in 30 hrs time – so I do believe that the models that latched onto something here

What has my interested me is that the GFDL model bring this disturbance up to Hurricane strength before landfall in Nicaragua in about +144H
At +120H GFDL progs this a strong CAT2 storm , However HWRF is much less bullish and only keep this as a tropical storm – time will tell.

 

[Jim Leonard]

We may see a small hurricane somewhat like hurricane "Martha" during the last week of November 1969, yes I remember it I tracked it. As long as 96L stays way south there will probably be some development during the next few days. If the system were to come north it will move into strong shearing winds aloft north of 15N. The steering flow is set up for a slow eventually west or westsouthwest movement in the days to come.