How low will a Hurricane go? (South, that is.)

[jerseydevil11]

What is the farthest south in the Carribean that a TD or H will form? Some Carribean islands (Aruba) are Hurricane immune.

[WxGuy1]

I think the rule-of-thumb, generally-accepted minimum latitude for TD, TS, or H development is about 10 degrees. The Coriolis parameter tends to be too insignificant to allow for proper rotation that near the equator (e.g. convergence into a low pressure center does not generate much vertical vorticity -- "spin").

[Aslkahuna]

I think it's more of a factor that below 10N the developing systems quickly run afoul of the landmass of South America-a portion of which is actually in the Northern Hemisphere. I say this because if you look at the Pacific, you find storms that develop below 10N quite frequently. The most extreme example being Vamei at 1.5N.

Steve