Despite initial forecasts for gradual organization earlier in the week, the disturbance in the eastern Atlantic – dubbed Invest 97L by the National Hurricane Center – has been unable to maintain persistent thunderstorm activity, a prerequisite for tropical formation.
Environmental conditions, which appeared conducive for slow development during the first half of the week, are forecast to become increasingly hostile in the coming days ahead for the floundering system, and tropical formation is no longer expected as it moves through the central Atlantic and north of the Leeward Islands by early next week.
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Even though Invest 97L was in its very early stages, NOAA Gulfstream IV Hurricane Hunters have been targeting the system this week for an ongoing collaborative research project with the NHC and others.
Hurricane Hunters don’t typically fly systems until they’re farther west in the Atlantic and closer to forming, but the research effort is aimed at better understanding the early seedlings of hurricanes and how the surrounding environment affects their development.
The Hurricane Hunters flew several high-altitude missions out of the Cabo Verde Islands near Africa, including one yesterday, at heights close to 50,000 feet, dropping instrument packages along their path.
The field campaign, named Advancing the Prediction of Hurricanes Experiment (APHEX), will continue throughout the 2022 hurricane season.
Elsewhere, the tropics will remain quiet into early next week, with no looming threats for now to South Florida or the broader U.S.