Issac is starting to track a little north.

August 24, 2012
0230.00z 
UNISYS Water Vapor GOES East Satellite (click title to entry for 12 hour loop - thank you)

In the image to the left it would appear Joyce has mostly dissipated while another turbulence in the Gulf near northern Mexico has developed. 

Isaac wobbles quite a bit. Joyce was progressing north without any retreat to a lower latitude.

Isaac, however, has considerable travel in latitude. At one point, 2130z, Isaac appeared to be moving north over the Dominican Republic. But, that was a major oscillation before Joyce weakened with a higher central pressure. Isaac's central pressure continued to drop without rising again. The eye of Isaac is still very much in the Caribbean. 

Joyce may organize a bit more yet, but, won't make landfall.

The turbulence in the Gulf near Mexico occurred at the same time Joyce diminished.

This is where Isaac started:

1  15.20  -51.20 08/21/09Z   30  1007 TROPICAL DEPRESSION

And this is where Isaac is now:

12  16.70  -68.70 08/24/03Z  40  1001 TROPICAL STORM

So, in 66 hours Isaac has moved 1.2 degrees north and 17.5 degrees west. The central pressure has fallen 6 millibars in that time and the speed has increased by 10 knots per hour.

In all honesty, Isaac is receiving a lot of water vapor from the lower latitudes. That storm isn't necessarily going to move away from its water vapor source that quickly. As its central pressure drops, it will sustain its own velocity. The size of the storm will sustain it as well. But, it has more westerly travel than north. Depends on its sustainability at a lower central pressure than one would expect. That might happen. The waters are certainly hot enough. We'll see.


The way we were. Twenty years ago today Hurricane Andrew hit Florida. (click here)