Melissa (2007)

A tropical wave moved off the west coast of Africa on 26 September 2007 and developed a low near the southern Cape Verde Islands the next day. Convection increased abruptly and a tropical depression formed at 0600 UTC 28 September about 100 nautical miles west‑southwest of the southern Cape Verde Islands. The system drifted slowly westward in weak steering currents, became Tropical Storm Melissa at about 0600 UTC 29 September, weakened to a depression by 0600 UTC 30 September, and degenerated to a remnant low by 1800 UTC 30 September. The remnant low tracked generally west‑northwestward and dissipated within a frontal zone late on 5 October about 600 nautical miles northeast of the northern Leeward Islands.

Melissa did not make any landfalls. It remained well east of land throughout its life, and no watches or warnings were required for any coastal areas.

The storm’s peak intensity was 35 kt (40 mph) with a minimum central pressure of 1005 mb, reached on 29 September. That peak corresponds to a weak tropical storm (below hurricane strength); Melissa’s strongest sustained winds remained at that level only briefly before weakening.

Because Melissa stayed over the open eastern Atlantic, there were no reported storm surge measurements or rainfall impacts on populated areas. Observations of the system were limited to satellite and scatterometer data; no ship reports of tropical‑storm‑force winds were received.

There were no reports of casualties or damage associated with Melissa. The cyclone’s abrupt formation was not well anticipated in the National Hurricane Center’s Tropical Weather Outlooks, although the subsequent official track and intensity forecasts (limited in number because of the storm’s short life) had errors slightly smaller than long‑term averages.