Posts Tagged ‘National Hurricane Center’

TS Ida expected to make landfall overnight

Tropical storm Ida has picked up some forward speed and is expected to make landfall along the northern Gulf coast overnight.

Some areas along the coast are already seeing rain and strong winds. Most schools in coastal communities are closed tomorrow and shelters are open in Florida and Louisiana.

The tropical storm warnings remain in place from Grand Isle, La., eastward to Aucilla River, Fla, as Ida continues to pack maximum winds of 70 mph — just below hurricane strength. However, Ida is expected to weaken before it makes landfall because it will likely move over an area of cooler water. It is expected to merge with a frontal zone on Wednesday, according the National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory.

The storm is 60 miles south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River and 165 miles south-southwest of Pensacola. Ida is expected to turn eastward once it makes landfall.

State and local officials are concerned about flooding due to expected heavy rainfall. Some 3 to 6 inches of rain are expected.

Ida downgraded to tropical storm

Ida has been downgraded to a tropical storm as it loses speed and continues to drift westward.

The National Hurricane Center in its latest advisory said the hurricane warnings have been lifted. Tropical storm warnings are in effect of the Northern Gulf coast from Grand Isle, La., eastward to Aucilla River, Fl.

Right now, forecasters see little chance of the storm strengthening before it hits land in the next 24 hours. The storm is expected to make a turn to the east once it hits land.

Maximum wind speeds are down to 70 mph but Ida is still a large storm. Tropical storm strength winds extend as much as 200 miles from its center.

The storm is still expected to bring heavy rains, about 3 to 6 inches in coastal areas.

Hurricane Ida headed toward Gulf coast

The latest information for the National Hurricane Center’s hurricane hunter aircraft shows Hurricane Ida continues to head to the Gulf coast. Moving at 15 miles per hour, it’s now located about 340 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi

Forecasters expect the storm to pick up more speed in the next 24 hours and take a turn to the northeast. Ida should near land late Monday or early Tuesday morning.

With sustained winds near 105 mpn, Ida is a Category 2 storm. Though some weakening is expected, the storm is still expected to be a hurricane when it makes landfall. Rains are expected to be heavy and local officials across the Northern Gulf coast are advising residents in low-lying areas to evacuate.

The storm is expected to go over some cooler waters and experience increasing wind shear in the next 24 to 36 hours. However, the dampening effects of the cooler water and wind shears won’t be sufficient to totally derail the storm. It should remain a hurricane when it makes landfall. Flooding is expected.

Tropical Storm Ida continues to strengthen – may regain hurricane status

Tropical Storm Ida has intensified this morning and now has maximum sustained winds of 60 mph. As of 10:00 a.m. EDT Saturday morning the National Hurricane Center has increased the chances of Ida regaining hurricane strength to 32% (up from 15% at 4:00 a.m. this morning). The NHC is still forecasting that Ida will begin to weaken once the system reaches the Gulf due to cooler water temperatures and wind shear. Areas along the Gulf should continue to monitor Ida over the next several days.

NOAA Wind Speed Probability

Henri now a remnant low; expect to dissipate in day or two

Henri continues to weaken. In its 5 p.m. advisory, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said the system is now a remnant low and should dissipate in the next day or two.

Henri has maximum sustained winds of 30 mph. Forecasters said it should continue to weaken. It’s moving west at 12 mph. It’s located 165 miles north-northwest of the Northern Leeward Islands.

The NHC said its 5 p.m. advisory was the last one on Henri.

Fred is now a remnant low

The National Hurricane Center in Miami issued its last public advisory on Fred at 5 p.m. Saturday.

The storm is now a remnant low. That means Fred is just a group of clouds and low pressure.

Fred is barely moving north, still about 650 west of the Cape Verde Islands. Winds are down to 35 mph, with some stronger gusts.

Forecasters expect the storm to fizzle out in the next 24 to 48 hours.

Tropical Storm Fred is fading fast

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said in their 11 a.m. advisory that Tropical Storm Fred is fading fast, likely to be nothing more than a remnant low in the next 12 to 24 hours.

Winds have dropped down to 40 mph from 80 mph 24 hours ago and the storm is hardly moving. Yet, it’s likely still headed in a north-northeast direction. It’s about 650 miles east of the Cape Verde Islands.

Forecasters are also watching on a large area of low pressure that could be an ingredient for the formation of a tropical storm. As 11 a.m. it was just producing “disorganized” showers and thunderstorms in an area between the west coast of Africa and east of the Cape Verde Islands.

There’s also a large area of “disturbed weather” covering much of the northern and western coast of the Gulf of Mexico. This system should produce rain in the Southeastern U.S. in the next 24 hours. But the NHC said there’s a low chance it could develop into a tropical cyclone.

Fred continues to weaken in far eastern Atlantic

Hurricane Fred continues to weaken — winds down and moving slower — on a track in the far eastern Atlantic Ocean that poses no threat to land.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami expect the storm to continue to weaken in the next couple of days.

Winds are down to 100 mph from a peak of about 120 mph early Wednesday. The storm is moving northwest at 7 mph. It’s about 740 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands.

Satellite imagery reviewed by NHC forecasters shows Fred still has an eye but it’s not as distinct as it was yesterday.

Fred strengthens but remains no threat to land

Fred’s maximum sustained winds have increased to about 120 mph, up from about 105 mph early this morning.

While the massive storm is the second named hurricane for the 2009 Atlantic season, luckily Fred still doesn’t pose a threat for land. Fred is a Category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center expect the storm to weaken tomorrow as it continues traveling northwest over the Atlantic Ocean.

Erika falls to tropical depression; all warnings discontinued

Rather than picking up strength, Erika is beginning to fizzle out and is now just a tropical depression.

All tropical storm warnings associated with Erika have been discontinued.

During the course of the afternoon, Erika’s maximum sustained winds dropped to about 35 mph from about 40 mph, according the National Hurricane Center’s 5 pm. advisory. But it’s moving slightly faster at 12 mph, up from 8 mph.

Erika is expected to pass over Puerto Rico tonight and come close to Hispaniola Friday.

The storm is about 130 miles south-southeast of Puerto Rico and about 325 miles from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.

Forecasters say Erika could continue to as a tropical depression in the next 12 hours and further diminish and end up as remnant low in the next 24 hours.