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What is a sting jet?
AL.com • • nation
Key Points:
- The National Weather Service in Birmingham warned central Alabama about the potential development of a "sting jet" from Hurricane Isaias, which could bring damaging wind gusts of 50-60 mph as the storm moves inland.
- A sting jet is a narrow, localized stream of strong winds descending rapidly from the mid-troposphere to the surface, often causing unexpected and violent gusts; it typically spans about 30 miles and lasts only a few hours.
- The sting jet may form as Isaias transitions from a warm-core tropical storm to a cold-core extratropical system, with the strongest winds expected near the storm's center as it tracks northwest across Alabama on Saturday.
- While a sting jet could cause significant disruptions such as downed trees and power outages in a narrow corridor, the rest of central Alabama is expected to experience wind gusts of 30-40 mph.
- Tropical storm warnings and watches are in effect for parts of central Alabama, with a high wind watch for the northern area; forecasters emphasize uncertainty in the exact location and timing of the sting jet's development depending on the storm's path.
