This blog has moved

The American Press Storm Blog can now be found at the following location:

http://www.american-press.net/wpStorm

Please bookmark the new page or update your existing bookmark.

Thank you.

Tropical Depression 13

Storm headed for Mexico

As expected, the slow-moving system in the southwest Gulf of Mexico has become a tropical depression.

The National Hurricane Center said the depression could become a tropical storm Wednesday.

Computer models (shown below) either show little movement or a westward track into Mexico over the next several days.

New System

Storm brewing in the Gulf of Mexico?

The National Hurricane Center is investigating another potential tropical system in the Gulf. Here's the latest advisory:

1. SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE THAT A TROPICAL DEPRESSION COULD BE FORMING IN THE SOUTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO ABOUT 180 MILES EAST OF TAMPICO MEXICO. AN AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE IS SCHEDULED TO INVESTIGATE THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. THIS SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE LITTLE DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

Tropical Storm 10

Storm not a threat to SWLA

It looks like the subtropical system in the Gulf of Mexico will affect areas well east of Southwest Louisiana.

At 1 p.m., the depression had maximum sustained winds of about 35 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

A tropical storm warning has been issued from Apalachicola, Fla., west to the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Thursday night update

Storm could become tropical system Friday

The National Hurricane Center in its 9:30 p.m. advisory says that the low-pressure system in the eastern Gulf of Mexico could become a tropical depression or storm by Friday.

Based on the latest model runs, this system appears to be heading well east of Southwest Louisiana. However, we'll know more Friday.

Here's the full advisory:

THE LOW PRESSURE AREA IN THE GULF OF MEXICO HAS BEEN MEANDERING DURING THE PAST FEW HOURS AND IS NOW LOCATED ABOUT 115 MILES WEST OF TAMPA FLORIDA. THERE HAS BEEN NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN ORGANIZATION THIS EVENING BUT BANDS OF HEAVY SQUALLS ARE FORMING TO THE NORTH OF THE CENTER ... AND ARE ALREADY AFFECTING COASTAL SECTIONS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THIS SYSTEM TO BECOME A SUBTROPICAL OR TROPICAL CYCLONE AT ANY TIME DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS AS THE LOW MOVES SLOWLY TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST. ALL INTERESTS ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM ... AND TROPICAL STORM WATCHES AND WARNINGS COULD BE PROMPTLY REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THIS AREA ON FRIDAY.

3 p.m. update

Storm still disorganized

The National Hurricane Center just issued this advisory on the storm system in the Gulf of Mexico:

A RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT INVESTIGATING THE AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IN THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO FOUND A BROAD CIRCULATION CENTERED ABOUT 115 MILES WEST-SOUTHWEST OF ST. PETERSBURG FLORIDA. THE AIRCRAFT WILL CONTINUE TO INVESTIGATE THE LOW THIS AFTERNOON...BUT THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS YET THAT THE LOW HAS BEGUN TO ACQUIRE TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS. THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WITH THIS SYSTEM REMAINS LIMITED AND DISORGANIZED. HOWEVER...THIS SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A SUBTROPICAL OR TROPICAL CYCLONE OVER THE NEXT DAY OR SO AS IT MOVES WEST-NORTHWESTWARD OVER THE WARM WATERS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO. ALL INTERESTS ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM.

Watching the storm

SWLA officials keeping close eye on storm

The latest computer model runs (below) predict the system will make landfall as a weak tropical storm anywhere from western Florida to western Louisiana.

Local emergency officials have said they will meet today if the system develops. In the meantime, they are watching and waiting.

Clifton Hebert, director of the Cameron Parish Office Emergency Preparedness, said coastal residents should be sure everything is in place in case the system develops.

"They should make sure all of their personal effects are in order in the event further action is necessary," he said. "Keep an eye on the system, follow the news and review evacuation plans just in case."

"The latest information we have gotten said it was too soon to tell if it was going to develop into anything or not," said Dick Gremillion, Calcasieu Parish's director of emergency preparedness. "We could find out (today) that it is going to develop into a tropical storm, or we could find out that it has dissipated."

Thursday morning update

Disorganized System in Gulf

Here's the National Hurricane Center's latest advisory on the low-pressure system making its way into the Gulf of Mexico.

SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATE THAT A WEAK LOW PRESSURE AREA HAS FORMED IN THE EASTERN GULF OF MEXICO IN ASSOCIATION WITH AN UPPER-LEVEL LOW. SHOWER ACTIVITY WITH THIS NON-TROPICAL SYSTEM REMAINS LIMITED AND DISORGANIZED. HOWEVER...THIS SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO ACQUIRE SUBTROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS LATER TODAY OR TOMORROW AS IT MOVES WEST-NORTHWESTWARD OVER THE WARM WATERS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO. AN AIR FORCE RESERVE UNIT RECONNAISSANCE AIRCRAFT IS SCHEDULED TO MONITOR THE SYSTEM THIS AFTERNOON. ALL INTERESTS ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THIS SYSTEM.

Gulf System Update

Models shift

The latest computer model runs for Invest 93, the low pressure system off the east coast of Florida, have for the most part shifted to the east.

The SHIPS model, which predicts intensity, has dropped its maximum wind estimate for the system dramatically. The model is now predicting the system to peak at 40 mph about 48 hours from now.

Gulf Activity

Tropical Storm could form in two days

The low pressure system off the east coast of Florida is expected to enter the Gulf of Mexico, where it could strengthen into a tropical storm.

Computer models (shown below) have it headed toward the Louisiana or Texas coasts.

Weather Service: Watch the Gulf

Low pressure system could develop

A low pressure system currently located off the east coast of Florida coast is expected to enter the Gulf of Mexico during the week and could possibly strengthen into a tropical storm or hurricane that could threaten the Texas and Louisiana coasts over the weekend.

Roger Erickson, meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Lake Charles office, said area residents should begin monitoring the situation.

"We do not know if it will develop into a tropical storm or not, but everyone should be keeping an eye on the weather report now to monitor what is going on," he said.

New storm

Ingrid forms in Atlantic

Tropical Storm Ingrid has formed in the Atlantic. The latest model runs (shown below) have the storm drifting slowly to the northwest and strengthening only slightly over the next five days.

It is not expected to threaten the Gulf Coast.

Humberto was rare hybrid system

Two systems converged to create havoc

By MIKE JONES
AMERICAN PRESS

Fast-forming Humberto was a "fairly rare" weather event during which two systems collide and quickly spin up into a hurricane, according to the National Weather Service's Lake Charles office.

Meteorologist John Trares said Humberto wasn't a pure tropical system, but a hybrid of two types of systems colliding — in this case a cold front and a broad low pressure trough in the warm waters of the northwest Gulf of Mexico.

Many times such merging systems don't spin up anything, but this time they did, he said.

Trares said this type of weather event more commonly occurs in October in the Bay of Campeche.

Hurricane Humberto resulted from a "double shot of energy," he said.

The meteorologist said a pure tropical system, such as a Cape Verde hurricane, takes much longer to develop into a hurricane, usually three to four days.

Trares said the highest wind speed recorded at the weather service office at Lake Charles Regional Airport was 41 mph at 4:36 a.m.

Rainfall was recorded at 2.33 inches at the airport, but radar estimates showed that throughout the area rainfall ranged from 3 to 6 inches in isolated areas.

The area already was 11 inches above normal for rainfall before Humberto.

City garbage pickup

The City of Lake Charles' Public Works Department announced updates on its garbage pickup for the remainder of the week.

For individuals unable to place out their garbage today, the city will be picking up Thursday's route again on Saturday.

Friday's trash and garbage schedule will be the normal operation for that day.

All transit routes temporarily suspended Thursday morning due to Hurricane Humberto have been resumed.

Back to work, school

• The 14th Judicial District Court in Lake Charles will be open today for all court business.

• All McNeese State University classes will resume as scheduled Friday. All school offices will be open too.

• Calcasieu Parish schools will be open Friday.