Summit County Citizens Voice

Tropical system is expected to weaken quickly this weekend

Hurricane Gordon, with winds of 110 mph, is nearing the Azores.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Hurricane Gordon, now swirling with winds of up to 110 mph, has prompted warnings in the Azores, where the central and eastern islands could take a direct hit this weekend.

The last hurricane to affect the Azores —  also named Gordon — was in 2006, although several tropical storms have passed through the islands since then, including Tropical Storm Grace in 2009. Grace went on to make landfall in Portugal and brought much-needed rain to parts of the Iberian Peninsula.

In 1995, Hurricane Tanya caused significant damage in the Azores, passing through islands as it transitioned to an extratropical cyclone.

Gordon is expected to pass over cooler water and weaken by Sunday, but will probably still be at hurricane strength when it reaches the Azores sometime within the next 24 to 36 hours. Currently, hurricane force winds extend outward about 35 miles from the center of the storm, with tropical storm force winds up yo 125 miles outward.

The National Hurricane Center forecasts the storm to start weakening soon as it starts to move over water cooler than 26 degrees Celsius and enters a high-shear environment, where upper level winds will start to tear the storm apart.

Beyond the Azores, the storm could take a similar track to the one followed by Hurricane Gordon in 2006, the last time a hurricane affected the same area. It may brush parts of Portugal or Spain as an extratropical cyclone early next week.

Filed under: climate and weather, Hurricanes, tropical storms and hurricanes, world news Tagged: | 2012 Hurricane season, Atlantic Ocean, Azores, Hurricane Gordon, National Hurricane Center, tropical storms