Tag Archives: Barra del Tordo

Tropical Storm Francine Churns over Western Gulf of Mexico

Tropical Storm Francine was churning over the western Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday morning.  At 8:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Francine located at latitude 24.5°N and longitude 94.9°W which put the center about 395 miles (640 km) south-southwest of Cameron, Louisiana.  Francine was moving toward the north at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 65 m.p.h. (105 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 80 m.p.h. (130 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 990 mb.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from Sabine Pass to Grand Isle. Louisiana.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from Grand Isle, Louisiana to the Mouth of the Pearl River.  The Tropical Storm Warning includes New Orleans.  The Tropical Storm Warning also includes Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.  A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from High Island, Texas to Sabine Pass, Louisiana.  A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from Port Mansfield, Texas to the Mouth of the Rio Grande River.  A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from La Pesca, Mexico to the Mouth of the Rio Grande River.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from High Island to Port Mansfield, Texas.  A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from Barra del Tordo to La Pesca, Mexico.

Rainbands in the western side of Tropical Storm Francine were dropping heavy rain on parts of south Texas.  A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for the area around Brownsville, Texas.

The circulation around Tropical Storm Francine showed signs of developing an inner core on Tuesday morning.  The inner end of a rainband wrapped most of the way around the center of Francines’s circulation.  An eye with a diameter of 25 miles (40 km) appeared to be forming at the center of Tropical Storm Francine.  The eye was surrounded by a nearly complete ring of thunderstorms and the strongest winds were occurring in that ring of storms.  Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the northeastern part of Francine’s circulation.  Thunderstorms were also occurring in bands in the western side of Tropical Storm Francine.

The size of the circulation around Tropical Storm Francine contracted a little as it began to resemble a typical tropical cyclone.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 140 miles (220 km) from the center of Francine’s circulation.

Tropical Storm Francine will move through an environment very favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Francine will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C.  It will move under the middle of an upper level ridge over the western Gulf of Mexico.  The upper level winds are weak near the middle of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Tropical Storm Francine will intensify to a hurricane during the next 24 hours.  Francine could intensify rapidly after the inner core is fully formed.

Tropical Storm Francine will move around the western part of a high pressure system that extends from the western Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.  The high pressure system will steer Francine toward the northeast during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Francine will move toward Louisiana.  Francine will move faster toward the northeast on Wednesday when an upper level trough over the south central U.S. also begins to steer it toward the coast.  Tropical Storm Francine will approach the coast of Louisiana on Wednesday afternoon.  Francine will be a hurricane when it approaches the coast of Louisiana.

Tropical Storm Francine will bring strong winds and heavy rain to Louisiana.  Francine will be capable of causing serious damage.  Widespread outages of electricity are likely.  Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods.

Flood Watches are in effect for parts of Louisiana.

Tropical Storm Francine could cause a storm surge of up to 10 feet (3 meters) along parts of the coast of Louisiana.

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from High Island, Texas to the Mouth of the Mississippi River.  The Storm Surge Warning includes Vermilion Bay.

 

 

Tropical Storm Francine Prompts Hurricane Watch for Louisiana

The risk posed by Tropical Storm Francine prompted the issuance of a Hurricane Watch for a portion of the coast of Louisiana on Monday morning.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Monday the center of Tropical Storm Francine located at latitude 23.0°N and longitude 94.9°W which put the center about 480 miles (770 km) south-southwest of Cameron, Louisiana.  Francine was moving toward the north-northwest at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1002 mb.

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from Cameron to Grand Isle, Louisiana.

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from Grand Isle, Louisiana to the Mississippi/Alabama border.  The Tropical Storm Watch includes New Orleans.  The Tropical Storm Watch also includes Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.  A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from High Island, Texas to Cameron, Louisiana.  A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from Port Mansfield, Texas to the Mouth of the Rio Grande River.  A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from Barra del Tordo, Mexico to the Mouth of the Rio Grande River.

A U.S. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter plane investigated a low pressure system over the western Gulf of Mexico previously designated as Potential Tropical Cyclone Six on Monday morning.  The crew of the aircraft found that the circulation around the low pressure system was more organized.  Based on the data from the aircraft, the U.S. National Hurricane Center determined that former Potential Tropical Cyclone Six had developed the characteristics of a tropical storm.  The National Hurricane Center designated former Potential Tropical Cyclone Six as Tropical Storm Francine.

A distinct low level center of circulation formed at the center of Tropical Storm Francine.  Thunderstorms had formed near the center of Francine’s circulation.  More thunderstorms also developed in bands revolving around the center of Tropical Storm Francine.  Storms near the center of Francine generated upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the tropical storm.

The circulation around Tropical Storm Francine was more symmetrical on Monday morning.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 160 miles (260 km) from the center of Francine’s circulation.

Tropical Storm Francine will move through an environment very favorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Francine will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C.  It will move under the middle of an upper level ridge over the western Gulf of Mexico.  The upper level winds are weak near the middle of the ridge and there will be little vertical wind shear.  Tropical Storm Francine is likely to intensify gradually during the next few hours while an inner core develops.  Francine could intensify rapidly on Tuesday after an inner core forms.  Tropical Storm Francine is likely to strengthen to a hurricane on Tuesday.

Tropical Storm Francine will move around the western part of a high pressure system that extends from the western Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.  The high pressure system will steer Francine toward the north during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Francine will move toward Louisiana.  Francine will move more toward the northeast on Wednesday when an upper level trough over the south central U.S. begins to steer it toward the coast.  Tropical Storm Francine will approach the coast of Louisiana on Wednesday afternoon.  Francine is likely to be a hurricane when it approaches the coast of Louisiana.

Tropical Storm Francine will bring strong winds and heavy rain to Louisiana.  Francine will be capable of causing serious damage.  Heavy rain is likely to cause flash floods.

Flood Watches are in effect for parts of Louisiana.

Tropical Storm Francine could cause a storm surge of up to 10 feet (3 meters) along parts of the coast of Louisiana.

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for the portion of the coast from High Island, Texas to the Mouth of the Pearl River.  The Storm Surge Watch includes, Vermillion Bay, Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.

 

Low Pressure System over Gulf of Mexico Designated Potential Tropical Cyclone Six

A low pressure system over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico was designated as Potential Tropical Cyclone Six by the U.S. National Hurricane Center on Sunday afternoon.  A Tropical Storm Watch was issued for the coast of northern Mexico.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Potential Tropical Cyclone Six located at latitude 21.6°N and longitude 94.6°W which put the center about 340 miles (545 km) south-southeast of the Mouth of the Rio Grande River.  The low pressure system was moving toward the northwest at 5 m.p.h. (8 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1003 mb.

A Tropical Storm Watch was in effect for the portion of the coast from Barra del Tordo,, Mexico to the Mouth of the Rio Grande River.

A U.S. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance aircraft investigated a low pressure system over the southwest Gulf of Mexico that was previously designated as Invest 91L on Sunday afternoon.  The Hurricane Hunters found that there was a large low pressure system with a broad counterclockwise rotation.  The reconnaissance flight was unable to find a distinct low level center of circulation.  The flight crew did find a large area of tropical storm force winds in the western side of the low pressure system.

Winds to tropical storm force extended out 185 miles (295 km) in the western side of Potential Tropical Cyclone Six.  The winds in the eastern side of the low pressure system were blowing at less than tropical storm force.

The strongest winds in Potential Tropical Cyclone Six were occurring in bands of thunderstorms in the southwestern part of the low pressure system.  The bands in the other parts of the circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  The storms in the southwestern part of Potential Tropical Cyclone Six began to generate upper level divergence that pumped mass away from the low pressure system.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Six will move through an environment mostly favorable for the intensification during the next 24 hours.  The low pressure system will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C.  It will move over the eastern part of an upper level ridge over northern Mexico and the western Gulf of Mexico.  The upper level ridge will produce northwesterly winds that will blow toward the top of Potential Tropical Cyclone Six’s circulation.  Those winds will cause some vertical wind shear.  The wind shear will inhibit intensification, but the shear will not be enough to prevent intensification.  The large size of the circulation around the low pressure system will also reduce the rate of intensification.  Potential Tropical Cyclone Six is likely to intensify slowly during the next 24 hours.  The low pressure system could intensify more rapidly after an inner core forms.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Six will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system that extends from the western Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.  The high pressure system will steer the low pressure system toward the northwest during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Potential Tropical Cyclone Six will move toward northern Mexico.  The low pressure system will move more toward the north on Tuesday when it moves around the western end of the high pressure system.  It is likely to be southeast of Texas on Tuesday night.  Potential Tropical Cyclone Six could approach the coast of Louisiana on Wednesday.  It could be a hurricane when it approaches the coast of Louisiana.