Florence Approaches The Coast; Isaac Worth Watching; a Possible New System in the Western Gulf

Hello all,

Hurricane Florence is heading towards the SE US Coast as a Category 4 Hurricane.  The storm is menacing and powerful:


Image From NASA


Here is the latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center:



Hurricane watches are up for most of the coasts of SC and NC, and people living in these areas, and even down to coastal Georgia, need to finalize their hurricane plans.  While the worst surge and wind will be along the coast, people inland need to take this seriously, too.  The storm will be slowing down, and rainfall amounts could be very high.  Inland flooding is one of the most deadly parts of hurricanes, so be prepared if you live inland. As you can see, NOAA is predicting inches to even feet of rain well inland:



Tropical Storm Isaac is also worth watching.  The storm is not particularly well organized at the moment, but could bring some strong winds and heavy rain to the Caribbean Islands. Hurricane Watches are in effect for the Lesser Antilles.  The storm may weaken in the Caribbean, but it's too early to say if it will fully dissipate, so just keep an eye on it in the US!



Finally, there is a system being watched near the Yucatan peninsula for possible development.  It may become a tropical storm over the Western Gulf of Mexico later this week, and could bring heavy rain to southern Texas and northern Mexico, as you can see in the rainfall forecast above.  Here is the current satellite picture of the system:



Image From NASA

Let me know if you have any questions!

Andy