superstareporter wrote:Do you think all of the dry air is a result from the epic drought in the midwest? Usually it is wetter up that way? I believe we combine that with, and I know people argue this, but all of the rain we have had over the last 4 weeks (huge amounts around 40 inches) cooling the gulf, as well as a lot more cloud cover keeping the water cooler. I know for a fact the water is a lot cooler this year than when we have had big hurricanes.
I noticed when the issue of dry air came up as it was approaching the SE Gulf, there was some unusually dry air over the Yucatan peninsula which that ULL was kicking up into the S side of the storm and being engulfed. That ULL also was pulling air all the way from northern Texas/Oklahoma in what appeared on the water vapor imagery as a "stream." I wish I knew how to go back in time on the WV to post that image but I don't know how to do that. It was very interesting. There was a stream of red color on WV. So you may be on to something with that.
I thought as that ULL relaxed it would eventually cycle that dry air out, but there is also plenty of dry air to the north under the ridge in the SEUS which I'm sure is being engulfed as well. So it was getting hit from both sides.
Not a pro met obviously but those were my observations as it crossed the Gulf.