Hurricane Dorian ravaged the islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco for two days killing at least 30 people, leaving 60,000 people without food, destroying 13,000 houses and leaving more than 5,500 people reported missing by their loved ones. Dorian caused catastrophic devastation in the Bahamas and is now tracking closer and closer to the US where it threatens even more lives. But Hurricane Dorian is not the only storm churning across the US right now – so what other systems are whirling around the world?
Hurricane Dorian
Hurricane Dorian, which was a Category 5 storm earlier this week, has now weakened to a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 90mph.
According to the latest NOAA report, issued at 2am EDT (7am BST), the storm was located near latitude 34.2 north, longitude 76.8 west, which was around 30 miles south southwest of Cape Lookout, North Carolina, and about 55 miles east of Wilmington, North Carolina.
Dorian is currently producing wind gusts near hurricane-force outward up to 60 miles over eastern North Carolina and tropical-storm-force winds extending outward up to 220 miles.
On the current forecast track of Dorian will move near or over the coast of North Carolina during the next several hours.
The eye of the storm is expected to travel southeast of extreme southeastern New England tonight and Saturday morning, and then across Nova Scotia late Saturday or Saturday night.
Hurricane tracker: How many storms are currently churning across the globe? (Image: EARTH.NULLSCHOOL.NET)
Hurricane tracker: A world surface CAPE map (Image: EARTH.NULLSCHOOL.NET)
Hurricane tracker: Relative humidity map for Hurricane Dorian (Image: EARTH.NULLSCHOOL.NET)
Hurricane Juliette
Hurricane Juliette is maintaining its intensity as it whirls across the eastern North Pacific.
As of 8pm PDT (4am BST) Juliette was located near latitude 21.8 north, longitude 121.8 west, approximately 765 miles west of the southern tip of Baja, California.
Juliette had recorded wind speeds of 85mph and was moving northwestwards at 13mph.
The hurricane is forecast to turn towards the west on Saturday and continue this motion through the weekend.
Additional weakening is also anticipated over the next few days with Juliette expected to become a tropical storm by Friday night.
Currently, Juliette is emitting hurricane-force winds which extend outward up to 35 miles (55km) from the centre and tropical-storm-force winds which extend outward up to 105 miles (165km).
Hurricane tracker: Wind power density map of Hurricane Juliette (Image: EARTH.NULLSCHOOL.NET)
Hurricane tracker: Hurricane Juliette wind map (Image: EARTH.NULLSCHOOL.NET)
Tropical Storm Gabrielle
Tropical Storm Gabrielle is currently churning across the Atlantic Ocean, near latitude 24.3 north, longitude 36.6 west which is roughly 995 miles northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands and 1100 miles southwest of the Azores.
The storm has maximum sustained winds of 40mph and is tracking northwests at 14mph.
The advisory, issued at 11pm AST (4am BST) reads: “A turn to the west northwest with a slight increase in forward speed is expected over the next couple of days.
“A decrease in forward speed and a turn to the north are forecast to occur on Sunday.
“Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph (65 km/h) with higher gusts.
“Little change in strength is forecast through Friday. Thereafter, slow strengthening is expected over the weekend.”
Hurricane tracker: Wind chill and heat map showing tropical storm Gabrielle (Image: EARTH.NULLSCHOOL.NET)
Tropical Storm Akoni
Tropical Storm Akoni is a very disorganised tropical storm located far southeast of Hawaii in the Central Pacific Ocean.
The NOAA reported that at 5pm HST (4am BST) the storm was located near latitude 11.7 north, longitude 145.7 west, which is roughly 845 miles southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, and 1045 miles southeast of Honolulu, Hawaii.
The storm has maximum sustained winds of 45mph and is moving westwards at 9mph.
The NHC reported tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the centre, but there are currently no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
Hurricane tracker: Instant wind power density map for Tropical Storm Akoni (Image: EARTH.NULLSCHOOL.NET)
Disturbance 1
The NOAA has reported three disturbances currently churning in the Atlantic Ocean.
The first is an area of low pressure located several hundred miles northeast of Bermuda is producing limited showers and thunderstorms, well to the southeast of the center.
Development of this system is expected to be limited due to unfavorable upper level winds.
The NOAA predicts there is a 10 percent chance of formation through 48 hours or five days.
Hurricane tracker: Mean sea level pressure map (Image: EARTH.NULLSCHOOL.NET)
Disturbance 2
The second potential storm being monitored by the NOAA is located several hundred miles east of the Leeward Islands.
There are disorganized showers and thunderstorms happening at that location which are associated with a tropical wave.
Development, if any, will be slow to occur while it moves slowly northwestward.
There is also only a 10 percent chance of formation through 48 hours or five days for this disturbance.
Hurricane tracker: Tropical cyclones and disturbances in the Atlantic Ocean (Image: NOAA)
Disturbance 3
The last disturbance being monitored by the NOAA is located near the Cabo Verde Islands.
Currently, the forecaster has recorded there is a broad area of low pressure along a tropical wave which is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms.
Gradual development of this system is possible, and a tropical depression could form while it moves westward across the tropical Atlantic Ocean through early next week.
Enhanced rainfall is possible across the Cabo Verde Islands through early Friday as the disturbance moves through the region.
There is only a 20 percent chance of formation through the next 48 hours, while there is a 60 percent chance of formation through the next five days.