Thursday, September 1, 2011

Rain threat for the Gulf this weekend



Hurricane Katia, upgraded to a category one hurricane yesterday evening, continues to spin in the Atlantic and currently poses no significant threat to the U.S.  What will likely happen is she'll get caught up in an upper level trough that is forecast to move into the east coast and that will help steer her away.
In the Gulf of Mexico, however, an unorganized cluster of thunderstorms could become a little more organized as a trough of low pressure moves away and the storms move into a more 'favorable' environment with a little less wind shear.  If that were to happen we could have a tropical cyclone on our hands by this weekend.  This could potentially bring some heavy rainfall totals to the gulf states and then possibly into Texas.  Right now rainfall forecasts through this weekend indicate anywhere between 2" to 9" (or higher - especially along the far southern tip of Louisiana) could fall. 

A series of cold front will come through helping to break down the very strong ridge that has been in place across the south pretty much all summer.  As the second front comes through late this weekend it may actually help to steer the 'would be tropical cyclone' down the east coast of Texas early next week.  Something I'm sure many residents in the drought stricken state will continue to watch very closely. 

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