This is Memorial Day weekend, the traditional kick-off of the summer season. Climatologically speaking we're at the very end of spring now, even if astronomical summer begins around June 21. Wednesday next week is the first of June, when the Atlantic basin season begins.

Chances are very high that nothing will happen in the next week, but to feed interest for the time being the good Dr. Gray has given us the updated season numbers (or at least had them released as of Thursday, five days prior to their announced date). They are on the high side to say the least--15 Named Storms, 8 Hurricanes, 4 Major Hurricanes. To put that into perspective, that is Arlene-Bret-Cindy-Dennis-Emily-Franklin-Gert-Harvey-Irene-Jose-Katrina-Lee-Maria-Nate-Ophelia. Plenty of company. Last year we were at 15/9/6 (or one less if you prefer to exclude Nicole)... so Gray's numbers are more or less a rehash of 2004.

The cited reasons for such a forecast are the large area of positive sea surface temperature anomalies in the tropical Atlantic and a neutral to weak-warm ENSO state. These numbers are troubling to folks who do not want a hurricane paying them a visit this year. The key, as always, will be where the storms go as opposed to how many there are. That is a tougher call to make... check out Rob Mann's forum post link of May 25 if you want to read one school of thought on what is coming up. There will be more to come on that line of topic as we get closer to the heart of the season.

HF 2115z28may

General Links
Skeetobite's storm track maps

NRL Monterey Marine Meteorology Division Forecast Track of Active Systems (Good Forecast Track Graphic and Satellite Photos)

Check the Storm Forum from time to time for comments on any new developing system.

Follow worldwide SST evolution here:

Global SST Animation

SST Forecast

NASA GHCC Interactive Satellite images at:

North Atlantic Visible (Daytime Only), Infrared, Water Vapor
LSU Sat images

RAMSDIS Satellite Images (high speed)

Some forecast models:
NGM, AVN, MRF, ETA ECMWF
AVN, CMC,GFDL, JMA,NOGAPS,UKMET

DoD Weather Models (NOGAPS, AVN, MRF)
Multi-model plots from Mid-Atlantic Weather
Other commentary at Independentwx.com, Robert Lightbown/Crown Weather Tropical Update Accuweather's Joe Bastardi (now subcriber only unfortunately), Hurricane Alley North Atlantic Page, Hurricanetrack.com (Mark Sudduth), HurricaneVille, Cyclomax (Rich B.), Hurricane City , mpittweather , WXRisk, Gary Gray's Millennium Weather, storm2k, Barometer Bob's Hurricane Hollow, Snonut,

Even more on the links page.

(primary links added)