Rain, rain, going away … for now
Here in Cambridge, everyone is griping about the miserable rain that dampened the first week of classes. However, we escaped the worst of the deluge that continues to cause unprecedented flooding throughout New York, Pennsylvania, and much of the interior Northeast.
Just two weeks after Hurricane Irene dumped water and toppled trees all along the East Coast, remnants of Tropical Storm Lee have coupled with a preexisting upper low pressure system to bring 1-in-100 year rains. Based on the activity of this season, more systems will likely come through before hurricane season ends on November 30.
The World Meteorological Organization names hurricanes and tropical storms alphabetically (alternating genders) as they form. By this date in the average Atlantic season, six storms have developed, up to letter F; in 2011, there have already been 14 systems, with Tropical Storm Nate in the Gulf of Mexico the latest projected to become a full hurricane.