These last few weeks have been like an emotional roller coaster ride. There have been almost daily ups and then downs as we sit here monitoring the various weather models as they attempt to predict the weather across the North Atlantic. The predictions 3 to 5 days out have been pretty accurate. However, the further out we look, the less accurate the models have been. Sometimes they show a nice quiet high pressure system dominating the Atlantic then the next day when we look of the extended forecast, it shows a mass of storms sweeping across the route we would be taking to reach the Azores. It has been this variation in predictions that have given us this roller coaster ride of emotions. One day we are all excited and hopeful, the next day those hopes and the excitement has been dashed. Sigh.

In actuality, the North Atlantic these last three weeks has been very turbulent with one major series of storms racing across the ocean followed by another. It has been almost non-stop. To show you what I mean, I have made a video of a slideshow that I have put together documenting the actual weather patterns between May 29 and today. May 29 was the very first day that we had completed our boat projects and Leu Cat was ready to set sail across the Atlantic. To view this video, just click .

In addition to these storms racing across the North Atlantic, things are starting to be compounded by the start of the hurricane season. The first major tropical wave formed off of Africa a few days ago and by tomorrow night, it should reach the southern end of the Antilles. NOAA is now predicted that it will track directly over Trinidad and will be a tropical storm as it passes over that island. It is predicted to also brush past Grenada as it enters the Caribbean Sea. It is predicted to remain a tropical storm until it reaches Bonaire very early on Wednesday morning. While NOAA is currently predicted this weather disturbance to just be at tropical storm strength, it is also predicting that it has a 90% chance of developing into a hurricane within the next 48 hours. Yikes!

I have posted to this blog a picture of NOAA's latest track of this storm.