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CBS4 Weather Team Looks Ahead To Hurricane Season

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The 2015 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1st, but that doesn't mean systems can't form before that.

The CBS4 weather team points to the year 2012 as good example of that.

On May 19th 2012, Tropical Storm Alberto was named. A week later Subtropical Storm Beryl formed, a day later it strengthened into a tropical storm and made landfall near Jacksonville Beach. That same day Tropical Storm Beryl weakend into a depression.

On May 30th, Tropical Depression Beryl regained tropical storm intensity about 190 miles southwest of Wilmington, North Carolina. Two days later it weakened into a non-convective remnant area of low pressure near the coast of North Carolina

Currently, CBS4's meteorologists are keeping tabs on a developing area of low pressure to the northeast which has a low potential of development.

Duing the hurricane season, here are some terms you may hear the CBS4 Weather Team talk about while covering different storms this.

A Subtropical Cyclone is a non-frontal low-pressure system that has characteristics of both tropical and extratropical cyclones. They originate over tropical or subtropical waters and have a closed surface wind circulation about a well-defined center. In addition, they have organized moderate to deep convection, but lack a central dense overcast. In comparison to tropical cyclones, these systems generally have a radius of maximum winds occurring relatively far from the center (usually greater than 60 nautical miles), and generally have a less symmetric wind field and distribution of convection.

A Subtropical Depression is a subtropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface wind speed 38 mph or or less.

A Subtropical Storm is a subtropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface wind speed is 39 mph or more.

A Tropical Depression is a tropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface wind speed is 38 mph or less.

A Tropical Storm is a tropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface wind speed 39 mph to 73 mph.

Tropical Storm Warning:
An announcement that sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph are expected somewhere within the specified area within 36 hours in association with a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone.

Tropical Storm Watch:
An announcement that sustained winds of 39 to 73 mphare possible within the specified area within 48 hours in association with a tropical, subtropical, or post-tropical cyclone.

Hurricane:
A tropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface wind 74 mph or or more. The term hurricane is used for Northern Hemisphere tropical cyclones east of the International Dateline to the Greenwich Meridian. The term typhoon is used for Pacific tropical cyclones north of the Equator west of the International Dateline.

The Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale ranks hurricanes in five categories based on their wind speed.

It starts at Category 1 with top sustained winds at 74 mph. Categories 3 and above are considered "major."

Category 3 hurricanes have top sustained wind speeds between 111-129 mph, Category 4 hurricane's wind speed range to 130-156 mph and Category 5 hurricanes have top winds of 157 mph or higher.

Colorado State University hurricane researcher Dr. Phil Klotzbach released his initial forecast last month - it calls for a below average season.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs through November 30th.

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