Hurricanes Isaac and Joyce: After Hurricane Helene’s rough impact, people in Florida were looking forward to some peace and quiet. But now, forecasters are keeping an eye on Hurricane Isaac and Tropical Storm Joyce as two new possible threats.
Even though both systems are still a long way from the mainland, past hurricane seasons have taught us that it’s important to stay alert, especially since the Atlantic has unpredictable weather. So far, this is what we know:
Isaac: becoming more powerful but not immediately dangerous
At present, Hurricane Isaac is a Category 1 storm that is demonstrating its strength at sea, reaching maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph). It is currently 995 miles west of the Azores, putting it closer to our Portuguese friends than to those who are hunkering down in Florida. Although there aren’t any coastal watches or warnings in effect right now, you shouldn’t turn off the weather channel just yet.
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Over the course of the weekend, Isaac is predicted to intensify even more before eventually becoming a post-tropical cyclone by Monday. The storm is expected to send some dangerous swells and rip currents towards the North Atlantic archipelago this weekend, even though it doesn’t appear like it will smash into Florida.
Joyce is being watched carefully
Hurricane #Isaac is going with the zonal flow of the Atlantic’s mid-latitude westerlies this morning, sustaining 90 mph winds and a 973 mbar pressure despite the tepid water temperatures available to him. Hovering near the threshold of Category 2 strength, Isaac is likely hitting… pic.twitter.com/tCrgnS4sVb
— Backpirch Weather (@BackpirchCrew) September 28, 2024
Besides that, Tropical Storm Joyce is also doing something on the other side of the Atlantic. Over the next few days, the storm will likely get stronger, even though it hasn’t hit any land yet. Joyce is currently in the Caribbean, 1,250 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands. Its strongest winds are about 50 mph. The next week, she says she will get a little stronger before slowing down. Right now, she is going northwest at a steady 13 mph.
What is Hurricane Helene’s aftermath?
Remember that Hurricane Helene is still a threat before we get too hung up on Isaac and Joyce. More than forty people were killed when the Category 4 storm tore through the Southeast earlier this week, destroying large portions of the region. Roads flooded, trees were toppled, and many people lost their homes as a result of Helene’s destructive power.
The big question still stands, though: are we going to see more hurricanes now that Isaac and Joyce are agitating things? Although there are currently no threats to Florida, hurricane season is predicted to remain a possibility through November, and during this time, anything can happen quickly. Although Isaac and Joyce might remain far offshore, it’s still advisable to keep yourself updated, pay attention to local forecasts, and heed official advice when it’s given.
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Which hurricane was the strongest when it hit land in the US?
There have been forty-one Category 5 hurricanes in the Atlantic since 1924, a century ago. Hurricane Beryl made landfall this past July. On the Saffir-Simpson scale, which rates hurricanes according to their sustained wind speeds, Category 5 is the highest level. As you can imagine, the scale goes from Category 1, which is for the least severe, to Category 5, which is reserved for storms with winds of 157 miles per hour or more. There is no maximum amount! A hurricane is deemed catastrophic once it reaches that threshold.
Only four of the 41 known Category 5 hurricanes have hit land with winds of more than 157 mph. A few others weakened just before they hit the shore. Most of these very strong storms happen in September, which is the busiest month for hurricanes in the Atlantic.
ON THIS DATE IN 1935: The Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 struck the Florida Keys. was the most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall on record in terms of pressure. The death toll was 408, including 250 World War I veterans in a rehabilitation camp. pic.twitter.com/1TxqI12ZlQ
— James Spann (@spann) September 2, 2020
The most powerful hurricane to ever hit the United States was the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. It hit the Florida Keys on September 2 with winds of 185 mph and gusts close to 200 mph. A 15–20-foot surge from the storm flooded the islands and did a lot of damage. Hurricane Carlie, which hit the Gulf Coast in 1969 with winds of 170 mph, and Hurricane Michael, which hit in 2018 with winds of 161 mph, are two other major Category 5 hurricanes. Also, Hurricane Andrew left its mark in 1992, when winds of up to 165 mph hit South Miami-Dade County.
The United States usually deals with hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, but tropical cyclones can form in any ocean in the world, in both hemispheres. Hurricane Patricia, which hit the Eastern Pacific in 2015 and had winds of up to 215 mph, was the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the world. It got weaker until it was a Category 4 storm with 150 mph winds before hitting land on the western coast of Mexico. However, it still did a lot of damage.
