Christine Hudnall

It is only August 4th and it is already busy!

We’ve had a solar eclipse, lightning struck spectators watching a race in Norway, an avalanche on Pakistan’s K2 has killed 11 climbers so far, NWS Storm Prediction Center has updated the confirmed tornado totals - 994 confirmed so far with 33 confirmed deaths - and of those 994, 447 of them were from May. And I’m sure a lot more…

Speaking of tornadoes - It is now August 4th - and we have had none so far this month.

Oops - did I forget to mention Tropical Storm Edouard? Well, as of yesterday (August 3rd), he was a low pressure that had a low-level circulation near the center. So the Hurricane Hunters were sent to check it out and their findings were:

INDICATE THAT THE CIRCULATION IS WELL-DEFINED ENOUGH FOR THE LOW TO BE DESIGNATED A TROPICAL DEPRESSION. THE AIRCRAFT HAS REPORTED MAXIMUM FLIGHT LEVEL WINDS OF 36 KT AND A MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE OF 1007 MB.

So, now we have a tropical depression - but wait - even that has changed. Which is where we are at as of right this minute, Tropical Storm Edouard. And as we all know, that can change anytime, just as there will be strengthening and weakening of most tropical systems before landfall. It is just the way it is.

I knew if I waited long enough that the newest update would be out - and here you go…

ZCZC MIATCPAT5 ALL
TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM
BULLETIN
TROPICAL STORM EDOUARD INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY NUMBER 4A
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL052008
700 AM CDT MON AUG 04 2008

…EDOUARD CONTINUES WESTWARD WITH NO CHANGE IN STRENGTH…

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER WESTWARD TO SAN LUIS PASS. A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

A HURRICANE WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEST OF INTRACOASTAL CITY LOUISIANA TO PORT O’CONNOR TEXAS. A HURRICANE WATCH MEANS THAT HURRICANE CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA…GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA…INCLUDING POSSIBLE INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 700 AM CDT…1200Z…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM EDOUARD WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 28.1 NORTH…LONGITUDE 90.3 WEST OR ABOUT 80 MILES…135 KM…SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF GRAND ISLE LOUISIANA AND ABOUT 285 MILES…460 KM…EAST-SOUTHEAST OF GALVESTON TEXAS.

EDOUARD IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 8 MPH…13 KM/HR. A TURN TO THE WEST-NORTHWEST IS EXPECTED TODAY…WITH A WEST-NORTHWESTWARD MOTION EXPECTED TO CONTINUE ON TUESDAY. BY TUESDAY MORNING THE CENTER OF EDOUARD IS EXPECTED TO BE VERY NEAR THE UPPER TEXAS COAST OR THE COAST OF SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 50 MPH…85 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME INCREASE IN STRENGTH IS EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS…AND EDOUARD COULD BE NEARING HURRICANE STRENGTH BEFORE REACHING THE COASTLINE.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 35 MILES…55 KM FROM THE CENTER.

THE LATEST MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE REPORTED BY AN AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTER PLANE WAS 1002 MB…29.59 INCHES.

A STORM SURGE OF 2 TO 4 FT ABOVE NORMAL TIDE LEVELS CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE WARNING AREA IN AREAS OF ONSHORE WINDS.

EDOUARD IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ALONG PORTIONS OF THE LOUISIANA COASTAL COUNTIES INTO SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS. ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 6 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE OVER SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS.

ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN LOUISIANA AND THE UPPER TEXAS COAST LATER TODAY.

REPEATING THE 700 AM CDT POSITION…28.1 N…90.3 W. MOVEMENT TOWARD…WEST NEAR 8 MPH. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…50 MPH. MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…1002 MB.

THE NEXT ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER AT 1000 AM CDT.
FORECASTER FRANKLIN

http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/TC.html

Whew… I need to catch my breath now - oh wait, I’m in Florida, there is no catching your breath, the air sucks it right out of you. Hmmm, Alaska is looking better and better. :-)