Tracking Tropical Depression Twenty-One
Invest 95-L was strengthened to Tropical Depression Twenty-One. FOX Weather informs you that unrest in the Caribbean continues and how severe it is expected to become.
Tropical Depression Twenty-One has developed in the southwestern Caribbean off the coast of Central America as the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season nears its end in late November.
It was a very active Atlantic hurricane season, with 21 systems developing and seven strengthening into hurricanes.
Where is Tropical Depression Twenty-One?
Satellite images show tropical depression 21 in the Caribbean Sea. (NOAA)
Tropical depression twenty-one is centered about 35 miles southeast of Bluefields, Nicaragua and is moving west-northwest at 5 miles per hour. The system has maximum sustained winds of 30 mph with some stronger gusts.
There is currently no watch or warning for Tropical Depression Twenty-One, but meteorologists warn that the coast of Nicaragua should monitor the progress of this system.
What is the forecast for Tropical Depression Twenty-One?
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) speaks of Tropical Depression Twenty-One moves into the west and that is also expected moving inland over Nicaragua by early Tuesday, producing heavy rain in parts of Central America.
No strengthening is expected before Tropical Depression Twenty-One makes landfall with gusts of 30 mph. It is expected to dissipate on Tuesday.
Between 4 Across Nicaragua, 20 cm of rain is expected, with maximum amounts of 30 cm. Up to 6 inches is possible in southern and eastern Honduras.
This rainfall will likely result in flash flooding and mudslides.
Atlantic is experiencing an active hurricane season in 2023
Updated 2023 Atlantic hurricane season forecast from Colorado State University. (FOX Weather)
The season started early with a subtropical storm forming in the western Atlantic in January. This was a possible indication that sea temperature trends would favor increased tropical cyclone activity later in the season.
Complicating matters for meteorologists was the fact that an El Niño occurred during the usual peak of activity.
Will strengthening El Niño cause hurricane season to end early?
Significantly warmer water in the important equatorial belt is typically associated with limited hurricane development. (FOX Weather)
As a general rule of thumb, forecasters have long said that an El Niño in the Pacific generally means reduced activity in the Atlantic, but that wasn’t the case this year.
The 2023 El Niño did not result in cooler water temperatures in the Atlantic, hostile winds in the basin, or a host of other problems that tropical cyclones face.
Water temperatures in the Florida Everglades reach hot tub levels
In fact, water temperatures off the Florida coast broke records this summer when a water quality station in Manatee Bay in Everglades National Park measured a temperature of 101.1 degrees in July.
This temperature may have set a world record, but it is difficult to verify a global sea surface temperature because temperatures are monitored all over the world.