Leslie spares Bermuda; Michael fizzles; and a new system forms

Potential ‘Tropical Storm Nathan’ forms in the Atlantic as hurricane season hits its peak.

HAMILTON, Bermuda, Monday, September 10, 2012 – Residents of Bermuda breathed a collective sigh of relief as only the outer bands of Tropical Storm Leslie affected the archipelago, bringing gusty winds and rain on yesterday (September 9) as the system passed on route to Canada's Newfoundland.

While there was flooding and disruption of power supply, according to the Bermuda Police Service there were no reports of any major damage or injuries.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Michael, who raise to brief fame last Thursday by becoming the first Category 3 of the Atlantic hurricane season, has continued to weaken and is now a Category 1 storm, moving slowly toward the west at 5 mph (7 kph) and not considered any threat to land.

Forecasters predict that Michael will catch up with Leslie and over open waters and potentially get absorbed by the east side of the older storm in the next 72 to 96 hours. Eastern Newfoundland is most likely to get the direct impact from this gathering storm appears beginning late Tuesday.

Today (September 10) marks the historic peak of the storm season, when a hurricane is most likely to be churning in the Atlantic, but so far all that is evident is the makings of what could become Tropical Storm Nathan.

A vigorous tropical wave with thunderstorms that emerged from Africa has become better organized and been upgraded to a tropical disturbance. Shower and thunderstorm activity has increased near the centre of the low pressure system located west of the Cape Verde Islands.

According to the United States National Hurricane Centre, although upper-level winds are generally favourable, dry air in the vicinity of this disturbance could hinder development during the next day or so. The centre predicted that this system has a medium chance, 50 percent, of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours as it moves west-northwestward at 10 to 15 mph. Click here to receive free news bulletins via email from Caribbean360. (View sample)