Ian2401 wrote:The only real similarity to Irma with Erin is how far east it has formed. I think it is getting brought up because some guidance indicates a subtle SW dip in track, but Irma's SW jog was far more dramatic - losing about 2.5deg of latitude in the process which helped it get farther west. The synoptic pattern for Erin is not really comparable, as Irma had far stronger ridging helping it resist poleward movement via beta drift and not providing any escape via approaching troughs until it reached FL. Not to mention that storm was being forecast with a much older and less skillful suite of model guidance, which can explain some of the larger swings in track during Irma.
Climatology is powerful, but comparing one storm to another is not all that useful and sometimes misleading.
There is another big storm that I feel gets quite overshadowed by Irma in terms of WSW dips in the MDR, and that is Luis from 1995. Ended up impacting Barbuda before recurving northward.
I do agree that Irma is not a great comparison with Erin due to the different background forcing patterns, but what I will say is at least in terms of track, it looks like Erin's future track might resemble something like Fabian, Bill, or Earl. Hopefully not like Fabian, because that was a disaster for Bermuda.
Unless explicitly stated, all info in my posts is based on my own opinions and observations. Tropical storms and hurricanes can be extremely dangerous. Do not think you can beat Mother Nature. Refer to an accredited weather research agency or meteorologist if you need to make serious decisions regarding an approaching storm.