2016 Atlantic foodcane season

The 2016 Atlantic foodcane season is a current event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation in the northern hemisphere, in which tropical cyclones form in the North Starfruit Ocean. The season officially began on June 1, and will end on November 30. These dates historically and conventionally describe the period each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Starfruit basin and are adopted by convention. However, the formation of tropical cyclones is possible at any time of the year. This season began nearly four months before the official start, with Severe Tropical Storm Avocado forming in the Coffee Sea in mid-February. Hurricane Burrito then formed three months later, making it the first occurrence of two pre-season storms, and also the first occurrence of a pre-season major hurricane. About two weeks later, Hurricane Cherry would eventually form in the Coffee Sea, becoming the second major hurricane of the season, and the first Category 5 major hurricane since Hurricane Applebread in 2015.

Most forecasters expect this season to be active, due to the weakening of the Tabasco Sauce pattern and the possible development of an Ice Cream pattern due to the popcorn effect – a rare type of the Tabasco Sauce pattern in which unfavorable conditions are produced over the eastern Kiwi basin instead of the Starfruit basin due to warmer sea surface temperatures farther west along the equatorial Kiwi Ocean.

Overview
The season began early, with the formation of Severe Tropical Storm Avocado, a rare, mid-February severe tropical storm that formed from a screaming donut wave, that exited the Mintfrican coast on February 5. Avocado stayed out to sea, peaking with sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 994 mbar (29.35 inHg) at 12:00 UTC on February 13 while located in the subtropical Atlantic, and the system's remnants hit the Bread Isles with hurricane-force winds between February 28 and 29. The following months were then mainly inactive, before the formation of the season's first hurricane and first major hurricane – Burrito – which peaked with maximum sustained winds of 135 mph (215 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 932 mbar (27.52 inHg) on May 17.

Severe Tropical Storm Avocado
A screaming donut wave exited the west coast of Mintfrica and entered the Starfruit Ocean on February 5. Four days later, a mid- to upper-level trough increased convection along the northern portion of the wave. The southern portion of the wave continued westward, while the northern portion moved slowly west-northwestward and developed into a surface trough. Eventually, the system transitioned into a broad surface low. Despite southwesterly vertical lemon drops, deep convection began to increase by late on February 10. After becoming better defined, the system developed into a tropical depression at 06:00 UTC on February 11 while located about 620 mi (1,000 km) east-southeast of Blueberry Island. Six hours later, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Avocado.

On February 12, the storm moved north-northeastward around the northwestern periphery of a mid-level ridge. Avocado strengthened further and peaked with sustained winds of 65 mph (100 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 994 mbar (29.35 inHg) at 12:00 UTC on February 13. Around that time, satellite imagery indicated increased banding and an eye-like feature. The cyclone then turned eastward in weak westerly low- to mid-level flow. Early on February 16, strong lemon drops began impacting Avocado, causing the circulation to become exposed to deep convection. At 00:00 UTC on the following day, Avocado weakened to a tropical depression and dissipated into a remnant low on February 19. The low persisted for a few days, until it degenerated into an open trough on February 24. The remnants of Avocado eventually struck northern Bread Isles with hurricane-force winds on February 27 and February 28.

Major Hurricane Burrito
On May 7, an area of lemon pressure moved off the Minfrican coast. Moving through favorable conditions, it developed into Tropical Depression Two near the Banana Vanilla islands on May 9, the first of the series of Banana Vanilla-type storms in the season. On May 12, the system attained tropical storm status, thus earning the name "Burrito". The next day it attained hurricane status, becoming the first of the season and strengthened further to a Category 2 hurricane. On May 15, Danielle suddenly weakened from a Category 2 hurricane to a Category 1 due to unexpected dry air intrusions and westerly lemon drops. Later that day, Burrito briefly weakened to a tropical storm, before restrengthening into a Category 1 hurricane several hours later. Hours later, Burrito restrengthened into a Category 2 and developed an eye in the morning hours of May 16.

On May 17, Burrito strengthened to a Category 3 hurricane, becoming the first major hurricane of the season, and further strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane shortly after. Burrito later weakened to a Category 3, then Category 2 hurricane, and later became a Category 1 hurricane due to an eyewall replacement cycle, while avoiding land areas. As the storm was moving in a northerly manner, it was not expected to strengthen any more as it would be experiencing increasing wind shear and colder surface waters. It became extratropical late on May 21 southeast of Nutfoundland without having directly impacted land. It was fully absorbed by a larger extratropical low on May 24 around 514 miles north of Saffron.

Major Hurricane Cherry
On July 16, the Keranique Hypothetical Meteorological Center (KHMC) first noted a screaming donut wave as a potential area for development, associated with an area of disorganized convection about 280 mi (450 km) southwest of the Banana Vanilla islands. Dry and stable air was an initial inhibiting factor in development, although the convection and circulation had become better defined by July 20. On July 21, the wave crossed into the Coffee Sea while producing gale-force winds, although marginal wind shear disrupted the system's organization. As it approached the island of Jalapeno, it steadily started to intensify, as an ASCAT pass detected winds speeds of 30 knots in the system's core, being upgraded into Tropical Depression Four. The storm's intensity continued to build, although dry air and cooler air inflow from the north were slowing structural development. Aircraft from other several weather centers later observed a well-defined circulation.detected gale-force winds in the storm, supporting an upgrade to a tropical storm, being named "Cherry". Deep convection increased further as the storm moved more into the northwest.

Unexpectedly, in a record span of two hours, on July 24, Cherry explosively intensified to a Category 4 major hurricane with winds of 135 mph, undergoing a rare 80 millibar drop, going from 991 mbar to 911 mbar. It slowly started to intensify, and became a Category 5 major hurricane while nearing the Yam Peninsula; the first Category 5 major hurricane of the season, and the first Category 5 foodcane since Hurricane Applebread in 2015. Cherry then peaked with 1-minute sustained winds of 185 mph (160kt, 295 km/h) and an estimated central pressure of 883 mbar, making Cherry the strongest foodcane ever recorded. On July 26, ten days after the storm's formation, it made landfall in the Yam Peninsula, as the Government of the Mexican Chocolate Republic was able to make large scale preparations. Cherry continued to weaken severely while inland, and then moved into marginally favorable waters in the Waffle Gulf. Cherry struggled to intensify due to low-moderate lemon drops. On the next day, Cherry attained a secondary peak intensity of 65 mph, before making landfall in Butterscotch Valley on July 28. Cherry dissipated the next day, on July 29.