"Zombie" Tropical Storm Chris Staggers in Atlantic
June 21, 2012; 5:17 PM
Tropical Storm Chris, which formed in the northern Atlantic on Tuesday, is acting like a "zombie" storm.
"The storm is alive, but it should not be," AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Rob Miller explained. "The storm is not in a region that is prone to tropical development. Water temperatures are in the low to mid-70s."
Ideal water temperatures for tropical development are 78 degrees and higher, since tropical systems are fueled by warm waters. In fact, the whole purpose of tropical storms and hurricanes in the atmosphere is to redistribute heat.
Furthermore, Chris does not look like a well-organized tropical system on satellite.
Chris is not expected to hit land as it moves east and away from the coast before it dissipates by the end of the week, said Senior Meteorologist Dave Samuhel. The "zombie" tropical storm is forecast to become a post-tropical cyclone by late today.
For the latest stats on Chris, visit the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center.
Content contributed by AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Meghan Evans.