ORLANDO, Fla. – As multiple tropical systems develop in the Atlantic, one term is coming up more and more called the Fujiwhara Effect.
Although it might be rare, it is an important phenomenon that occurs when two storms get close enough to influence each other’s movement.
Current Tropical Situation:
With Invest 94L and Humberto both simultaneously developing about 900 miles away from each other, the Fujiwhara Effect is one of the main reasons why forecast uncertainty remains high.
If the Fujiwhara Effect takes hold in this situation, it could dramatically shift the track and intensity of one or both systems.
Possible Scenarios:
Depending on how close these systems get to one another, we usually see one of three possibilities play out.
1. Absorbing: One Storm Eats the Other
In this scenario, one storm (usually the bigger or stronger one) basically takes over and absorbs the smaller system. It doesn’t always lead to a stronger storm overall, but it simplifies the forecast.
2. Merging: Two Become One
Sometimes, instead of one storm absorbing the other, they actually merge together. This can be unpredictable, as the new system could end up stronger, or weaker if it’s structure struggles.
3. Dancing: The Fujiwhara Spin
When two storms get close but don’t merge, they can begin to rotate around each other in a kind of tropical dance. This can shift their tracks significantly, making the track forecast trickier.
For us here in Florida, this “dancing” scenario is a big reason why there’s still so much uncertainty in the forecast. The way these two systems interact could completely change their path and strength over the next few days.
The lack of confidence and small margin of error by this weekend is why Floridians need to stay updated as the forecast evolves and improves over the next several days.