Flood Warning 4 US Gulf Coast 9/2/11
#1
09-02-2011, 10:43 AM
Flood Warning 4 US Gulf Coast 9/2/11
20 inches of rain? Flood warnings for US Gulf coast 
Member's how's your weather where you are ? Texas needs rain, but not floods..
Mother Nature sure can mess things `up & cost everyone 4-Sure!
I had to check the weather for work shipments to the warehouses, but I thought I would give a heads `up to member's in the below area's.
'Wow. This could be a very heavy, prolific rainmaker,' meteorologist says
NOAA via APThis satellite image taken Thursday afternoon shows clouds move into the Gulf of Mexico. The system is expected to become a tropical storm and dump rain across the gulf coast.
msnbc.com staff and news service reports
updated <ABBR style="DISPLAY: inline" class="dtstamp updated" title=2011-09-02T15:05:14>33 minutes ago</ABBR>2011-09-02T15:05:14
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A slow-moving tropical depression was slogging toward the Gulf coast Friday, packing walloping rains that could drench the region with up to 20 inches.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal on Thursday declared a state of emergency, citing the likelihood coastal and inland areas would be drenched by up to 15 inches of torrential rain within 48 hours.
Tropical depression 13, which could become Tropical Storm Lee later on Friday, has already prompted oil and gas producers to shut down platforms and evacuate workers from the offshore oil patch that provides about a third of the nation's oil production and about 12 percent of its natural gas.
Tropical storm warnings were issued from Mississippi to Texas, including New Orleans.
The National Hurricane Center said the system will dump 10 to 15 inches of rain over southern areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama through Sunday and as much as 20 inches in some spots.
"They're calling for 18 to 20 inches of rain in spots over the next several days. You've got big issues," said Aaron Studwell, a meteorologist with Wilkens Weather in Houston.
Studwell said the system was about 190 miles southwest of the center of Mississippi Canyon and 75 miles south-southwest of Green Canyon, the two areas of the Gulf with the highest concentrations of oil and gas platforms.
In Alabama, Gov. Robert Bentley didn't declare an emergency but ordered state emergency management and other agencies to be ready to respond if needed.
Morning skies were overcast with spotty rain on the Alabama coast Friday, but workers were still putting boats in the water for the Labor Day weekend at Sportsman Marina in Orange Beach, Ala.
"A lot of people go into a panic, but it's mainly just going to be a rainmaker," marina manager Ricky Garrett said. "We're really not taking any precautions. They're talking 5 to 15 inches of rain over a five-day period depending on who you listen to."
Forecasts were for landfall over the weekend on southern Louisiana's coast.
The depression had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph early Friday. It was moving northwest near 2 mph, with the hurricane center predicting slow, possibly erratic motion.
"Wow. This could be a very heavy, prolific rainmaker," National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Revitte said.
The Weather Channel said in a posting on its website that "very heavy rainfall" was expected through the Labor Day weekend.
Flooding was "a huge concern across this region, even then though some areas are in drought. This includes New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Biloxi and Mobile," it said.
"Significant coastal flooding" was also possible along with "high surf and rip currents (a vastly underrated killer ... )," The Weather Channel said.
According to a hurricane center chart, maximum sustained winds could reach 60 mph by Saturday, lower than hurricane strength of 74 mph.
As hurricane season is hitting its peak in the Atlantic, storm watchers were monitoring three disturbances.
Katia likely to gain strength
Besides the Gulf depression, Tropical Storm Katia was spinning in open waters . It weakened from a hurricane Thursday, though forecasters said it would again grow stronger.
It was about 750 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands and moving west-northwest near 15 mph with maximum sustained winds early Friday near 70 mph. It could regain hurricane strength this weekend but forecasters said it's too early to tell if it would hit the U.S. It was expected to pass north of the Caribbean.
PhotoBlog: View, discuss weather photosIn yet another system, a slow-moving low pressure system about 450 miles south of Nova Scotia, Canada, had a 60 percent chance early Friday of becoming a tropical cyclone in the next two days.
They all come on the heels of Hurricane Irene, which brought destruction from North Carolina to New England late last month.
In Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal said he was concerned about the serious threat of flash flooding in his state, leading to his emergency action. After devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005, nothing is taken for granted.
Just 'a drill'?
Craig Taffaro, president of coastal St. Bernard Parish, said some flood gates were being closed along bayous and residents were being warned to brace for heavy rain.
Still, in a parish that was nearly wiped out six years ago by Katrina, Taffaro wasn't expecting a major event.
"We'd like the public to use this as a drill. Hopefully that's all it will be," he said early Thursday afternoon.
The Army Corps of Engineers, which operates major flood control structures at New Orleans, was monitoring developments but didn't plan on closing any flood control structures yet, spokesman Ricky Boyett said in an email.
New Orleans, which was least affected by the drought, already was being pelted by sporadic rain. More of a problem is stubborn marsh fire that has blanketed the city with smoke, though the rain will help extinguish it.
"Sometimes you get what you ask for," New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said. "Unfortunately it looks like we're going to get more than we needed."
New Orleans' levees could be tested by the slow-moving system, forecast service Accuweather.com said Thursday.
"It's not just the rainfall, but perhaps days of pressure on levees, as storm surge water could be driven into Lake Pontchartrain," Accuweather.com Meteorologist Mark Mancuso said in a statement.
Officials in the New Orleans ordered that levees be pumped down to lower levels in anticipation of heavy rain, the Times-Picayune reported.
Jindal: Get a game plan
Louisiana's emergency action allows Jindal to activate the National Guard if necessary and generally makes it easier for parishes and the state to prepare.
It also lets parishes ask the state to repay money spent to prepare and fight floods, and lets the state track such expenses, Jindal spokesman Kyle Plotkin said.
"Now is the time for Louisianians to make sure they have a game plan for themselves and their families should this storm strengthen," Jindal said in a statement.
On Grand Isle, the state's only inhabited barrier island, people were keeping an eye on the storm that has already brought rain there.
"We're watching it — we're watching it closely," said June Brignac, owner of the Wateredge Beach Resort.
It's not as frightening as having a Category 2 or 3 hurricane bearing down, she said.
"But we're still concerned with all the rain that's coming in, causing possible flooding of the highway going out. If we don't leave, we may be trapped here until it's completely past," she said.
Katrina was the only storm to flood the suites in her motel, which is raised several feet from the ground, in the 20 years she has owned it.
It was still unclear where the system would head next, but it could bring much-needed relief to drought-plagued Texas. Both Texas and Louisiana have been suffering through drought, and parts of those states need the rain — just not that much, that fast.
Small craft warnings were issued from northwest Florida to Texas as seas of at least 1 to 2 feet above normal were in the forecasts. Winds are likely to push tides up to three feet above normal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Member's how's your weather where you are ? Texas needs rain, but not floods..Mother Nature sure can mess things `up & cost everyone 4-Sure!
I had to check the weather for work shipments to the warehouses, but I thought I would give a heads `up to member's in the below area's.
'Wow. This could be a very heavy, prolific rainmaker,' meteorologist says
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NOAA via APThis satellite image taken Thursday afternoon shows clouds move into the Gulf of Mexico. The system is expected to become a tropical storm and dump rain across the gulf coast.
msnbc.com staff and news service reports
updated <ABBR style="DISPLAY: inline" class="dtstamp updated" title=2011-09-02T15:05:14>33 minutes ago</ABBR>2011-09-02T15:05:14
<!---Print--->
A slow-moving tropical depression was slogging toward the Gulf coast Friday, packing walloping rains that could drench the region with up to 20 inches.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal on Thursday declared a state of emergency, citing the likelihood coastal and inland areas would be drenched by up to 15 inches of torrential rain within 48 hours.
Tropical depression 13, which could become Tropical Storm Lee later on Friday, has already prompted oil and gas producers to shut down platforms and evacuate workers from the offshore oil patch that provides about a third of the nation's oil production and about 12 percent of its natural gas.
Tropical storm warnings were issued from Mississippi to Texas, including New Orleans.
The National Hurricane Center said the system will dump 10 to 15 inches of rain over southern areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama through Sunday and as much as 20 inches in some spots.
"They're calling for 18 to 20 inches of rain in spots over the next several days. You've got big issues," said Aaron Studwell, a meteorologist with Wilkens Weather in Houston.
Studwell said the system was about 190 miles southwest of the center of Mississippi Canyon and 75 miles south-southwest of Green Canyon, the two areas of the Gulf with the highest concentrations of oil and gas platforms.
In Alabama, Gov. Robert Bentley didn't declare an emergency but ordered state emergency management and other agencies to be ready to respond if needed.
Morning skies were overcast with spotty rain on the Alabama coast Friday, but workers were still putting boats in the water for the Labor Day weekend at Sportsman Marina in Orange Beach, Ala.
"A lot of people go into a panic, but it's mainly just going to be a rainmaker," marina manager Ricky Garrett said. "We're really not taking any precautions. They're talking 5 to 15 inches of rain over a five-day period depending on who you listen to."
Forecasts were for landfall over the weekend on southern Louisiana's coast.
The depression had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph early Friday. It was moving northwest near 2 mph, with the hurricane center predicting slow, possibly erratic motion.
"Wow. This could be a very heavy, prolific rainmaker," National Weather Service meteorologist Frank Revitte said.
The Weather Channel said in a posting on its website that "very heavy rainfall" was expected through the Labor Day weekend.
Flooding was "a huge concern across this region, even then though some areas are in drought. This includes New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Biloxi and Mobile," it said.
"Significant coastal flooding" was also possible along with "high surf and rip currents (a vastly underrated killer ... )," The Weather Channel said.
According to a hurricane center chart, maximum sustained winds could reach 60 mph by Saturday, lower than hurricane strength of 74 mph.
As hurricane season is hitting its peak in the Atlantic, storm watchers were monitoring three disturbances.
Katia likely to gain strength
Besides the Gulf depression, Tropical Storm Katia was spinning in open waters . It weakened from a hurricane Thursday, though forecasters said it would again grow stronger.
It was about 750 miles east of the northern Leeward Islands and moving west-northwest near 15 mph with maximum sustained winds early Friday near 70 mph. It could regain hurricane strength this weekend but forecasters said it's too early to tell if it would hit the U.S. It was expected to pass north of the Caribbean.
PhotoBlog: View, discuss weather photosIn yet another system, a slow-moving low pressure system about 450 miles south of Nova Scotia, Canada, had a 60 percent chance early Friday of becoming a tropical cyclone in the next two days.
They all come on the heels of Hurricane Irene, which brought destruction from North Carolina to New England late last month.
In Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal said he was concerned about the serious threat of flash flooding in his state, leading to his emergency action. After devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005, nothing is taken for granted.
Just 'a drill'?
Craig Taffaro, president of coastal St. Bernard Parish, said some flood gates were being closed along bayous and residents were being warned to brace for heavy rain.
Still, in a parish that was nearly wiped out six years ago by Katrina, Taffaro wasn't expecting a major event.
"We'd like the public to use this as a drill. Hopefully that's all it will be," he said early Thursday afternoon.
The Army Corps of Engineers, which operates major flood control structures at New Orleans, was monitoring developments but didn't plan on closing any flood control structures yet, spokesman Ricky Boyett said in an email.
New Orleans, which was least affected by the drought, already was being pelted by sporadic rain. More of a problem is stubborn marsh fire that has blanketed the city with smoke, though the rain will help extinguish it.
"Sometimes you get what you ask for," New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said. "Unfortunately it looks like we're going to get more than we needed."
New Orleans' levees could be tested by the slow-moving system, forecast service Accuweather.com said Thursday.
"It's not just the rainfall, but perhaps days of pressure on levees, as storm surge water could be driven into Lake Pontchartrain," Accuweather.com Meteorologist Mark Mancuso said in a statement.
Officials in the New Orleans ordered that levees be pumped down to lower levels in anticipation of heavy rain, the Times-Picayune reported.
Jindal: Get a game plan
Louisiana's emergency action allows Jindal to activate the National Guard if necessary and generally makes it easier for parishes and the state to prepare.
It also lets parishes ask the state to repay money spent to prepare and fight floods, and lets the state track such expenses, Jindal spokesman Kyle Plotkin said.
"Now is the time for Louisianians to make sure they have a game plan for themselves and their families should this storm strengthen," Jindal said in a statement.
On Grand Isle, the state's only inhabited barrier island, people were keeping an eye on the storm that has already brought rain there.
"We're watching it — we're watching it closely," said June Brignac, owner of the Wateredge Beach Resort.
It's not as frightening as having a Category 2 or 3 hurricane bearing down, she said.
"But we're still concerned with all the rain that's coming in, causing possible flooding of the highway going out. If we don't leave, we may be trapped here until it's completely past," she said.
Katrina was the only storm to flood the suites in her motel, which is raised several feet from the ground, in the 20 years she has owned it.
It was still unclear where the system would head next, but it could bring much-needed relief to drought-plagued Texas. Both Texas and Louisiana have been suffering through drought, and parts of those states need the rain — just not that much, that fast.
Small craft warnings were issued from northwest Florida to Texas as seas of at least 1 to 2 feet above normal were in the forecasts. Winds are likely to push tides up to three feet above normal.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Last edited by Space; 09-02-2011 at 10:48 AM.
#2
09-02-2011, 11:04 AM
I was watching weather updates this morning to see what this latest beast is planning to do. Lots of uncertainty yet as to exactly where it will go. And just in time for the holiday weekend. Bummer...
Thanks for the update, Space. Looks like it should stay clear of you guys. We'll likely get heavy rain / wind in N. AL, but luckily the strength gets sapped as it moves inland.
Thanks for the update, Space. Looks like it should stay clear of you guys. We'll likely get heavy rain / wind in N. AL, but luckily the strength gets sapped as it moves inland.
#3
09-02-2011, 11:08 AM
Hi `Dave,
I thought of you, Mel & member's in the path of this storm when I first read it and decided to post it...
I hope you get the rain you need, but not the flooding...
Wish you a safe weekend 4-Sure with some bright SunShine..
Good Luck & thanks for your post...
Member's, How's the weather in your area of paradise ?
I thought of you, Mel & member's in the path of this storm when I first read it and decided to post it...
I hope you get the rain you need, but not the flooding...
Wish you a safe weekend 4-Sure with some bright SunShine..
Good Luck & thanks for your post...
Member's, How's the weather in your area of paradise ?
#6
09-02-2011, 07:26 PM
My boss owns 2 houses in panama city beach, FL but it looks like there in the low to medium zone.
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