GaWx

Good news thanks to El Nino for folks like me who prefer a not so active season and thus less risk of destruction in the SE and thus lower stress: NOAA's outlook for the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season indicates that a below-normal season is the most likely outcome, with moderate chances for a near-normal season, and low probabilities that the season could be above-normal. The outlook calls for a 55% chance for a below-normal season, a 35% chance of a near-normal season, and only a 10% chance for an above-normal season. See the NOAA definitions of above-, near-, and below-normal seasons for more information. The 2026 outlook calls for a 70% probability for each of the following ranges of activity: 8-14 Named Storms 3-6 Hurricanes 1-3 Major Hurricanes Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) range of 45-115% of the median ——————— It’s all relative though and unfortunately the midpoints of 11 NS/4.5 H/2 MH can still be devastating if land is affected as it takes only one like in ‘92. Also, NOAA has wide spreads. I’m leaning to lower half of these due to how strong El Niño is expected to be and not as warm ATL tropics as in ‘23. https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/outlooks/hurricane.shtml

Steve, I understand your focus. There’s nothing stopping you from creating it. But, 1. The local/regional specifics have been taken care of by SE individual storm threads and even then participation wasn’t better than the main indiv. storm thread. Even SE folks often posted more in the main trop. indiv. storm threads. For example, the Milton SE thread here (link below) had barely any posts other than Kayman’s many tornado posts due to lack of enough interest despite its major effects on FL while the main Milton thread had over 2K posts: 2. Even without a specific storm, you, me, and others can already post about the tropics’ potential effects on the SE within the SE Mid-long range discussion threads as I’ve done before. At this time of year with not as much interest in those threads vs winter, the mid-long range threads can use more posts. 3. I don’t think it’s good to create more threads than necessary because it makes the already existing threads quieter. This BB used to thrive on general threads that all would feel welcome to post in. Now it’s become much more regional. But there still is one general thread per year (titled with ENSO) and one general ATL tropical thread that both welcome all to post in.

Hey Steve, IMO it’s not needed because: -An ATL trop. thread already exists each year, with a big increase in posts when the SE is threatened: -When there are specific storm threats to the SE, I’ve started threads on those storms in SE region and probably would again if nobody else does. But even then, there were more posts in the main thread as tropical posts here were kind of limited. -So, I don't think a 2nd general trop thread is needed here. I suggest posting in the general thread and then also in any individual storm SE threat if they’re created.

Last 3 24 hr periods of rain ending 7AM at Cocorahs reporting stations (Clayton Cty has no stations evidently): many ATL area spots already got a much needed 0.4-0.8” with more to come next few days 5/22-3: 5/21-2: 5/20-1:

E ATL burbs doing quite well though. Does anyone have a link to radar estimated rainfall?

The most solid Nino support from AAM yet if this CFS prog is to be believed:

1957-8, 1972-3, and 1982-3 had the most wintry precipitation of the super Ninos in the SE US. Also, 1957-8 was cold vs the NN of 72-3 and 82-3. 65-6 was also cold.

Click on 2nd chart on right at this link: https://s2s.worldclimateservice.com/climatepanel/ It dropped to -1.04, which is equivalent to the NOAA being in the ~-1.75 to -2 range.

Opinions on N half of ATL metro over next 4 days…should just about everyone expect 1-3”?

Thanks. Actually at the current point in time, I have 2026 to be most similar to 2015: check this out 13MAY2015 1.3 0.7 0.6 0.7 20MAY2015 1.3 0.5 0.5 0.8 13MAY2026 1.3 0.6 0.5 0.6

I didn’t say 1982 was W based overall. I was specifically referring to the mid May snapshot, when it was actually W based. I said, “In mid May vs 2026”, 1982 was more W based than 2026: 1982: 1+2 was coolest in mid May 12MAY1982 -0.6 0.5 0.4 0.7 19MAY1982 -0.4 1.0 1.1 1.1 2026: 1+2 is warmest in mid May 13MAY2026 1.3 0.6 0.5 0.6 So, as of mid May, 1982 was more W based than 2026. Later (July and beyond), I agree that 1982 clearly transitioned to E based. But my post was referring only to the snapshot as of the current point in time, mid May.

Darwin’s higher than normal SLP is finally starting to contribute to a -SOI. Until yesterday, it’s been mainly due to low Tahiti SLP.

Looking at mid May relative 1+2, 1997 was +2.2 and rising (it hit +3.0 in early June and +4.0 in early Aug) vs 2026 being +1.3 and rising. Otherwise, 1997 and 2026 are very close in 3, 3.4, and 4. So, that’s why I have 1997 more E based than 2026 as of the mid May snapshot. It’s all because of 1+2, which has a 0.9C diff although it’s a more volatile area since smaller. https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/data/indices/rel_wksst9120.txt

In mid May vs 2026: -2023 was more E based -2015 was similar -1997 was more E based -1991 and 1982 were more W based https://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/data/indices/rel_wksst9120.txt

1. Per that table, 2023 had a record high IOD for the months of Aug and Sep. 2. Keep in mind that IOD levels have had a notable longtime rise though. So, that biases more recent years toward a higher +IOD. Even the warm neutral (as opposed to El Niño) 2019 had a very strong +IOD in autumn/2nd strongest only to 1997! And as I already said, the very weak El Niño of 2018 still was able to have a strong +IOD.