Why meteorologists keep talking about "Invests"

A special name for tracking tropical systems

Investigation tropical systems with a numbering system allows computer models to zero in on areas of interest and organizes the forecast process.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – When we say Matthew, many of us recall Hurricane Matthew and its blow to our coast last year, but before becoming Matthew it was called Invest 97L.

It can be hard to keep track of all of the clouds in the tropics. Some bring fare weather and others swirl into growing hurricanes. Naming disturbances can help forecasters track development.

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Cloud clusters in the tropics that appear interesting are facilitated by identifying each system as Invest followed by a number. This tracking system enables forecast centers around the world to collect and process data on disturbances. The information goes into a suite of models that run on the invest to predict intensity changes and track of the disturbance. 

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center will use this guidance in the Tropical Weather Outlook features which show the probability of the invest organizing into a tropical depression or a tropical storm. 

The numbering system starts at 90 and goes up to 99 then cycles back to 90 after the 10th invest of the season. The letter L follows the number and designates it as an Atlantic disturbance.

Many of the invest systems never develop and the naming conventions does not correspond to the likelihood of development.


About the Author:

After covering the weather from every corner of Florida and doing marine research in the Gulf, Mark Collins settled in Jacksonville to forecast weather for The First Coast.