Weather report

EVERY autumn, British birders take a particular interest in the Atlantic hurricane season which this year began on 1

June and officially ends on 30 November. By mid-August it was shaping to be an above average season, with a prediction of 15-21 named storms, seven-10 hurricanes and three-five major hurricanes.

The paths of hurricanes differ tremendously and the best for bringing birds to Britain’s shores usually form off the Caribbean before heading north, up the east coast of the US, then rapidly crossing the Atlantic. They reduce in intensity, sometimes fizzling out completely, but often bringing a deep low-pressure system with accompanying winds. With these come the tantalising possibility of Nearctic vagrants which mainly appear from the south-west of Britain, up to the west of Scotland and Northern Isles.

A study published in British Birds in 2020 listed 24 Nearctic species which have been seen in the Western Palearctic which have yet to be seen in Britain; just as this paper was published a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher appeared on Tiree, Argyll – new for both Britain and the WP. Who knows what might blow over in October this year?

Looking out for potential storms could not be easier as there are many weather websites to help. Here are a few of the best:

• The National Hurricane Center ( www.nhc.noaa.gov) shows every tropical cyclone as it develops and tracks away and is one of the best sites for predicting possible rarity-bearing storms.

• AccuWeather ( www. accuweather.com/en/hurricane) is another good site for hurricane information.

• Windy ( www.windy.com) gives a great visual representation of wind strength and direction with a 10-day forecast.

Chris Harbard