Pat Shingleton: "Line Storms..."
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Today marks the end of the peak 60-day-intervald for tropical storm development. Moving through the end of September and into October represents fewer episodes of storms. It appears we will "run the list" of identified storm names and possibly tapping into the Greek alphabet. This occurred in 2005 where an additional five storms were identified. In the middle of the 18th century, seafarers believed a major storm would occur around the end of summer, closer to the autumnal equinox. The sailors would refer to these systems in September and October as a "line storm." When the sun crossed the equator or "line" on its seeming journey to the Southern Hemisphere, its direct rays also would move in a line across the equator. The sun's rays wouldn't create the storm, but a thermal contrast did occur. The cool air from the north colliding with super-warm southerly air activated more tropical storm activity. The results are contrasting air masses that produce devastating fronts and winter-type storms in temperate regions.