Paulette formed in early September and at one point, in true 2020 fashion, was one of five active tropical cyclones being followed by the National Hurricane Center. Tropical Storm Paulette eventually made landfall in Bermuda on September 14 as a Category 2 Hurricane before heading back out into the Atlantic Ocean.
Paulette's track before setting the record eOUZSWBnWP
— Comrade Jas (@wodemingzishijb) September 22, 2020
The storm then lost speed and lost its tropical storm status as it moved into the colder waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. However, Paulette hit a high-pressure trough in the mid-Atlantic that pushed the depression back to the south, into warmer waters.
But if anyone thought Paulette was dead in the water, Paulette surprised everyone by reforming southeast of the Azores, islands off Portugal’s coast, on Monday. The National Weather Service, which has been busy tracking a record hurricane season, referred to Paulette as a “zombie” tropical storm.
“Because 2020, we now have Zombie Tropical Storms. Welcome back to the land of the living, Tropical Storm Paulette,” the NWS tweeted Tuesday.
Because 2020, we now have Zombie Tropical Storms. Welcome back to the land of the living, Tropical Storm 98QNEaTr4S
— National Weather Service (@NWS) September 22, 2020
A storm coming back from the dead is an unusual occurrence, with the most recent example being Hurricane Ivan in 2004.
Oh, hey, J4cYB5jWKf
— Josh Morgerman (@iCyclone) September 22, 2020
Here is an interesting tweet showing an actual satellite image of the cloud cover of Tropical Storm Beta meeting up with the bands of clouds from Tropical Storm Teddy –
Teddy meet Beta…. i5T0xA6ULX
— Marshall Shepherd (@DrShepherd2013) September 22, 2020
Ah, yes – Only in 2020…