Tag Archives: Tropical Storm Gordon

Low Pressure System Prompts Tropical Storm Warning for the Carolinas

A potential risk posed by a low pressure system prompted the issuance of a Tropical Storm Warning for the coast of the Carolinas.  The low pressure system was designated as Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight by the U.S. National Hurricane Center.  At 8:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight was located at latitude 32.1°N and longitude 77.8°W which put the center about 140 miles (220 km) east-southeast of Charleston, South Carolina.  The low pressure system was moving toward the northwest at 7 m.p.h. (11 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 60 m.p.h. (95 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1006 mb.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the portion of the coast from Edisto Beach, South Carolina to Ocracoke Inlet, North Carolina.  The Tropical Storm Warning includes Charleston, South Carolina.

An extratropical cyclone off the coast of the Carolinas began to exhibit some characteristics of a tropical storm on Sunday and the U.S. National Hurricane Center designated the system as Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight.  More thunderstorms formed near the center of the low pressure system.  Bands of thunderstorms began to develop around the low pressure system.  However, the low pressure system was still close to a nearly stationary frontal system.  So, the distribution of thunderstorms was asymmetrical.  Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the northern side of the low pressure system.  Bands in the southern part of Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.

The distribution of winds speeds in Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight was also asymmetrical.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 175 miles (280 km) in the northern side of the low pressure system.  The winds in the southern side of Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight were blowing at less than tropical storm force.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight will move through an environment somewhat favorable for intensification during the next 12 hours.  The low pressure system will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 30°C.  It will move under the western part of an upper level low off the coast of the Southeast U.S.  The upper level low will produce southerly winds that will blow toward the top of Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear.  The wind shear will inhibit intensification, but Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight could make a transition to a tropical cyclone during the next 12 hours.  It could also intensify on Monday.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight will move around the southwestern part of a high pressure system over the North Atlantic Ocean.  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 Eight will make landfall on the coast of South Carolina northeast of Charleston on Monday afternoon.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight will bring strong winds and heavy rain to parts of South Carolina and North Carolina.  The strong winds could cause electricity outages.  Heavy rain could cause flash floods in some locations,

Flood Watches are in effect for parts of South Carolina and eastern North Carolina.

Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight could cause a storm surge of up to 4 feet (1 meter) along the coast of eastern South Carolina and North Carolina.  Waves will also cause erosion of beaches.

Elsewhere, former Tropical Storm Gordon weakened to a tropical depression east of the Northern Leeward Islands.  At 5:00 p.m. EDT on Sunday the center of Tropical Depression Gordon was located at latitude 19.2°N and longitude 46.1°W which put the center about 1115 miles (1790 km) east of the Northern Leeward Islands.  Gordon was moving toward the west at 8 m.p.h. (13 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 35 m.p.h. (55 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 45 m.p.h. (75 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1007 mb.

Tropical Storm Gordon Forms East of Leeward Islands

Tropical Storm Gordon formed east of the Leeward Islands on Friday morning.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Storm Gordon was located at latitude 19.4°N and longitude 38.6°W which put the center about 1640 miles (2650 km) east of the Leeward Islands.  Gordon was moving toward the west-northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 40 m.p.h. (65 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 50 m.p.h. (80 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1006 mb.

A low pressure system over the Atlantic Ocean between the Leeward Islands and the Cabo Verde Islands strengthened on Friday morning and the U.S. National Hurricane Center designated the system as Tropical Storm Gordon.  The distribution of thunderstorms in Gordon’s circulation was asymmetrical.  Thunderstorms were occurring in bands in the eastern side of Tropical Storm Gordon.  Bands in the western side of Gordon’s circulation consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.

The distribution of winds speeds around Tropical Storm Gordon was also asymmetrical.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out 60 miles (95 km) in the eastern side of Gordon’s circulation.  The winds in the western side of Tropical Storm Gordon were blowing at less than tropical storm force.

Tropical Storm Gordon will move through an environment mostly unfavorable for intensification during the next 24 hours.  Gordon will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperatures are near 27°C.  It will move under the southeastern part of an upper level ridge over the subtropical Atlantic Ocean.  The upper level ridge will produce northeasterly winds that will blow toward the top of Gordon’s circulation.  Those winds will cause moderate vertical wind shear.  Gordon will also move through a region of very dry air.  The dry air will make if difficult for new thunderstorms to develop.  Tropical Storm Gordon could weaken to a tropical depression during the weekend because of the dry air.

Tropical Storm Gordon will move around the south side of the subtropical high pressure system will steer Gordon to the west during the next 24 hours.  On its anticipated track, Tropical Storm Gordon will remain far to the east of the Leeward Islands during the weekend.

Elsewhere, the circulation of former Hurricane Francine was meandering over the Lower Mississippi River Valley.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Friday the center of Tropical Depression Francine was located at latitude 35.8°N and longitude 91.4°W which put the center about 80 miles (130 km) north-northeast of Little Rock, Arkansas.  Francine was moving toward the southeast at 3 m.p.h. (5 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 15 m.p.h. (25 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 25 m.p.h. (40 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 1005 mb.

Tropical Storm Gordon Makes Landfall on the Gulf Coast.

Tropical Storm Gordon made landfall on the Gulf Coast near Pascagoula, Mississippi on Tuesday night.  At 11:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Gordon was located at latitude 30.4°N and longitude 88.4°W which put it about 30 miles (50 km) east of Biloxi, Mississippi.  Gordon was moving toward the northwest at 14 m.p.h. (22 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 70 m.p.h. (110 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 85 m.p.h. (135 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 997 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from the Mouth of the Pearl River to the Alabama-Florida border.  A Tropical Storm Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from the Okaloosa-Walton County line to the Alabama-Florida border.

The circulation of Tropical Storm Gordon was asymmetrical.  The strongest bands of showers and thunderstorms were north and east of the center of circulation.  The strongest winds were occurring in those bands.  A C-MAN station on Dauphin Island, Alabama reported a sustained wind speed of 62 m.p.h. (100 km/h) and a wind gust of 72 m.p.h. (117 km/h).  The winds were much weaker south and west of the center of Tropical Storm Gordon and there was little rain in those parts of the tropical storm.

Tropical Storm Gordon will start to weaken as the center moves inland.  Gordon will continue to move around the western end of a high pressure system over the western Atlantic Ocean.  The high will steer Tropical Storm Gordon toward the northwest during the next day or two.  On its anticipated track Tropical Storm Gordon will move across southern Mississippi on Wednesday and over Arkansas on Thursday.  The wind will be strong enough to cause minor damage and it will cause some power outages.  Locally heavy rain and the potential for flash floods are the greater risks.  Flash Flood Warnings were in effect for parts of West Florida and Southwest Alabama.  Flash Flood Watches were in effect for Mississippi and Southeastern Arkansas.

Elsewhere over the tropical Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Florence was continuing to intensify east of the northern Leeward Islands.  At 11:00 p.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Hurricane Florence was located at latitude 20.7°N and longitude 43.9°W which put it about 1515 miles (2440 km) east-southeast of Bermuda.  Florence was moving toward the west-northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 100 m.p.h (160 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 120 m.p.h. (195 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 976 mb.

Tropical Storm Gordon Nears Gulf Coast

Tropical Storm Gordon moved closer to the Gulf Coast of the U.S. on Tuesday morning.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Tropical Storm Gordon was located at latitude 28.5°N and longitude 86.8°W which put it about 145 miles (235 km) east-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River.  Gordon was moving toward the northwest at 15 m.p.h. (24 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 1001 mb.

A Hurricane Warning was in effect for the portion of the coast from the mouth of the Pearl River to the Alabama-Florida border.  Tropical Storm Warnings were in effect for the portions of the coast from Grand Isle, Louisiana to the mouth of the Pearl River including Lake Pontchartrain and from the Alabama-Florida border to the Okaloosa-Walton County line in Florida.

The circulation of Tropical Storm Gordon appeared to be getting more organized on Tuesday morning.  More thunderstorms developed near the center of circulation.  Storms near the center were generating upper level divergence which was pumping mass away to the east of the tropical storm.  Several bands of showers and thunderstorms north and east of the center were moving toward the Gulf Coast.  The bands southwest of the center consisted primarily of showers and lower clouds.  Winds to tropical storm force extended out about 80 miles (130 km) from the center of circulation, but the winds were weaker in the southwestern quadrant of Tropical Storm Gordon.

Tropical Storm Gordon could strengthen into a hurricane before it makes landfall.  Gordon will move over water where the Sea Surface Temperature is near 30°C.  An upper level trough over the southeastern U.S. was producing southwesterly winds which were blowing toward the top of the circulation.  Those winds were causing some vertical shear, but they will not be strong enough to prevent intensification.  The surface pressure decreased slightly on Tuesday morning.  Increased friction near the coast could cause the circulation to tighten around the center, when Tropical Storm Gordon gets closer to the Gulf Coast.

Tropical Storm Gordon will move around the southwestern end of a subtropical high pressure system over the western Atlantic Ocean.  The high will steer Gordon in a general northwesterly direction during the next several days.  On its anticipated track the center of Hurricane Gordon is likely to make landfall on the northern Gulf Coast on Tuesday night.  Gordon will produce winds to near hurricane force at the coast.  It could cause a storm surge of 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.5 meters) east of the center where the wind blows water toward the coast.  The highest storm surge will occur in bays and the mouths of streams and rivers where the shape of the coast funnels water into those areas.  Tropical Storm Gordon will also drop heavy rain over portions of northwest Florida, southwest Alabama, Mississippi and eastern Louisiana.  Locally heavy rain could create the potential for flash floods.

Elsewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, former Tropical Storm Florence strengthened into the third Atlantic hurricane of 2018.  At 11:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday the center of Hurricane Florence was located at latitude 19.7°N and longitude 42.5°W which put it about 1270 miles (2045 km) east-northeast of the Lesser Antilles.  Florence was moving toward the west-northwest at 12 m.p.h. (19 km/h).  The maximum sustained wind speed was 75 m.p.h. (120 km/h) and there were wind gusts to 90 m.p.h. (145 km/h).  The minimum surface pressure was 990 mb.