Rafael may be gone, but forecasters are now watching a new disturbance in the Caribbean. That new system could become a tropical storm by mid November. Rafael was no threat to Alabama’s Gulf coast. But, the National Weather Service says that past storm is a reminder that a tropical system doesn’t have to hit Alabama directly to have an impact. Forecaster Jessica Chace says it may sunny with a storm nearby, but it still pose a threat…
“But one of the things with tropical systems that very few people realize is how that can produce very, very dangerous, very, very deadly rip currents along our beaches, even if it is well away from the area, and it can send a lot of energy to our shores and then cause that rip current risk,”
Category 3 Hurricane Rafael ripped through western Cuba, with strong winds knocking out power island-wide, destroying hundreds of homes and forcing evacuations of hundreds of thousands of people. Days after, much of the island was still struggling without power. Weeks before in October, the island was also hit by a one-two punch. First, it was hit by island-wide blackouts stretching on for days, a product of the island's energy crisis. Shortly after, it was slapped by a powerful hurricane that struck the eastern part of the island and killed at least six people. A recent earthquake only added to the misery. As far as November storm dangers along the Alabama Gulf coast are concerned, the NWS’ Jessica Chace, says people tend to let their guard down.
“And we're getting into that period where our lifeguards along the public beaches are no longer there because it's, you know, a lot less busy season and stuff. And so there's just all of those kind of compounding, you know, dangers, especially during the late, latter part of tropical season.”
Tropical storm season extends through the month of November, so tropical weather is still possible. The website of Scientific American reports Tropical Storm Zeta shockingly formed on December 20, 2005 and lasted until early January 6. Only 10 tropical storms and three hurricanes have reportedly struck the U.S. during November going back to 1851.
