Tropics Remain Active – System In The Gulf Being Monitored
Where were you 14 years ago today? If you were in Louisiana I bet you were somewhere close to a radio or television set and I bet you were watching the progress of Hurricane Rita. Rita, almost the forgotten storm of 2005, slammed into the coast just east of Sabine Pass on this day in 2005.
Fast forward to 2019 and there is still plenty of tropical trouble to dissect. Fortunately, none of those threats appear to be destined to affect the Louisiana coastline. The closest area of concern to our part of the world is an area of disturbed weather just off the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.
This system has been given only a 20% probability of strengthening over the next five days. Granted, forecasters had pinned similar probabilities on Tropical Storm Imelda and look what happened there. The good forecast track for this system does keep it well south of the U.S. mainland. However, the system certainly does warrant a watchful eye over the next few days.
The next closest area of concern is Karen. As of early this morning, Karen was a tropical depression. However, forecasters did note strengthening in the system overnight and Karen could once again become a tropical storm. The forecast track for Karen carries it to the north across Puerto Rico. After the system crosses the island there is a troublesome turn to the west that will have to be watched as we get closer to the weekend.
Tropical storms Jerry and Lorenzo do not appear to be a threat to any landmass at least anytime soon. Although Jerry could buzz close to Bermuda in a couple of days as a tropical storm. Lorenzo is forecast to become a major hurricane in the next couple of days. But the system is forecast to remain well out to sea and only pose a threat to shipping interests in the mid-Atlantic ocean.