On a chilly morning when tell-tale windshield scrapings provided clear evidence of the first frost of the season around here, the 14th named tropical storm of the season churned in the Caribbean.
This one, Noel, was producing heavy rains over Hispaniola, and a tropical storm warning was in effect for parts of the Bahamas.
Noel's maximum winds were just over 50 m.p.h. Since the threshold for a name is a 39 m.p.h. wind, Noel qualifies as a tropical storm. But to become a hurricane, the top winds have to reach 74 m.p.h., and that’s not going to happen with Noel, based on the latest National Hurricane Center discussion.
And as has been the case so often this season, it looks like Noel will not affect the U.S. mainland, as it is forecast to curve northeast toward the open North Atlantic. Here is the forecast track.
The season official ends Nov. 30.
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