Atlantic Enters Its Most Active Season for Storms: Weather Watch

The Atlantic has entered the most dangerous part of its six-month storm season — after months of heat building in the world’s oceans.

From Aug. 20 to Oct. 10, the stretch of the Atlantic between the Caribbean and Africa becomes its most active, with the ocean reaching its annual, statistical peak on Sept. 10. The region is responsible for some of the basin’s most destructive and deadly storms.

Conditions across the Atlantic will likely remain calm for at least the next few days, with the only action coming from the remnants of last-week’s Hurricane Ernesto crashing into Scotland with heavy rains.

The same cannot be said for the Pacific, however, where Tropical Storm Shanshan is forecast to grow into a powerful Typhoon as it nears Japan in about five days.

It will strike Japan with winds of 115 miles per hour on the US scale, making it a Category 3 system on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale. The spread for track deviation is quite large — Tokyo to Sasebo, according to the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Japan’s Meteorological Agency has a slightly tighter potential track, but it still covers an area from the eastern tip of Kyushu almost all the way to Tokyo on Honshu.

At the same time, in the eastern Pacific off Mexico’s west coast, and way out to sea, Hurricane Gilma has become a major Category 3 storm with winds of 115 miles per hour. Gilma will keep moving west, weaken, and won’t be much of a threat. In the meantime, there are two other potential storms in the Pacific, but neither are an immediate issue.

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Meanwhile, Texas is facing blistering heat, and putting its electric grid to the test once again.

Heat advisories and excessive heat warnings are out across the state, as temperatures are due to surge. The high in Dallas is forecast to reach at least 99F (37.2C) on Thursday and will feel closer to 106F when humidity is factored in, the weather service said. Through the weekend readings will reach 100F or more.

Houston, the fourth most populous US city, will also see a high of 99F on Thursday with a heat index of 109F, the weather service said. High temperatures will drive residents to use air conditioners to stay cool, cranking up energy demand and taxing the power the grid.

Abilene, Texas posted its hottest day on record with a high of 113F on Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.