WBRC Weather

Tropical Storm Warnings For U.S. Virgin Islands

Tropical Storm Rafael has prompted tropical Storm warnings for several locations in the eastern Caribbean today. This includes the United States and British Virgin Islands. Rafael is a weaker tropical storm, with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph.  The system is centered about 200 miles south-southeast of St. Croix. The latest motion was north-northwest and that track should continue through early next week.  The tropical system Patty has dissipated near the Bahamas and this system is no longer a depression.

Fox6 Meteorologist Wes Wyatt

wwyatt@wbrc.com

Twitter @weswyattweather

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A Trio In The Tropics: Nadine May Form This Week

We’re continuing to watch a trio of tropical systems over the Atlantic today. The good news is that all of the tropical features look to remain well away from the United States. Tropical Storm Leslie and Category One-Hurricane Michael are both tracking northward.  Leslie is the one system that will impact an additional landmass. Tropical Storm warnings and hurricane watches are now in effect for Newfoundland. 

There is a 90% chance a new system could be taking shape over the eastern Atlantic. I included the latest GFDL model valid for midnight Thursday night. This model and others show the disturbance “Invest 91L” turning north into the central Atlantic over the coming days. This system could become “Nadine” this week.

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FOX6 Meteorologist Wes Wyatt
wwyatt@wbrc.com
Twitter @weswyattweather
Facebook: facebook.com/weswyattfox6

August Rainfall Totals

Trouble in the Gulf Again

A remnant of Hurricane Isaac is now lingering in the Gulf of Mexico and is likely to become a tropical storm over the next couple of days.  A hurricane hunter aircraft is scheduled to fly into the circulation later this afternoon.  The low is just south of the mouth of the Mississippi and is slowly drifting southward.  Forecast models indicate some strengthening and a turn toward the east this weekend in response to a strong cold front to the north.

Isaac is a storm that just will not go away.  If this low does become a tropical storm - it will be Nadine. I expect the track to take the storm toward Cross City and over Gainesville.  The system will remain clear of Alabama.

J-P Dice
Fox 6 Chief Meteorologist
jdice@wbrc.com
Twitter: jpdice_Fox6 

Isaac Precipitation Totals Top 10 Inches

 
I wanted to share this rainfall total mosaic from the National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service. Check out the rainfall totals in the 10 inch category. Some parts of Louisiana and south Mississippi received rain amounts higher than 10 inches. This is a quality control data set for Wednesday and Wednesday night.

Fox6 Meteorologist Wes Wyatt

Latest On Hurricane Kirk & Tropical Storm Leslie

Fox6 Meteorologist Wes Wyatt

Afternoon Forecast Update

Isaac continues to hammer the Gulf Coast.  The storm is 50miles west southwest of New Orleans.  Power is out to about 750,000 people across five states.  Along the Gulf Coast - rainfall totals have been between 6-12 inches.  Because the storm is such a slow-mover at about 6mph - torrential rainfall has caused massive flooding.  Alabama's Gulf Coast was spared substaintial damage, but flooding has been an issue at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

The storm is now a Tropical Storm and will slowly track to the northwest dumping heavy rain across Mississippi and Louisiana.  We've expecting the storm to make it into Arkansas tomorrow and eventually Missouri.  Massive amounts of flooding are expecting.  The rain will be beneficial to parts of this area because of this Summer's drought.

We have received a number of calls about travel along I-20 to Dallas this weekend for the Alabama game.  Thursday will likely be the wettest day for travel with some improvement by late Friday.  If you are traveling - be aware you will encounter heavy rain with winds over 30mph.

Here at home, we've been watching some of the rainbands move through Alabama.  Some rain has been especially heavy in South Alabama with that part of the state under a risk for tornadoes.  We have been stable enough here in Central and North Central Alabama to say essentially dry with only a few showers.

There will be an enhanced risk for tornadoes tomorrow for areas west of I-65.  This risk will remain very small, but we will monitor closely here in the Fox 6 StormWarn Center.  Expect a much better chance for rain and storms.

Rain chances will slowly decrease as we move closer to the weekend with scattered showers and storms with partly sunny skies.

J-P Dice
Fox 6 Chief Meteorologist
jdice@wbrc.com
Twitter: jpdice_Fox6

Lakeshore, MS

Brett Adair sends us these pictures from Lakeshore, MS.

A Tale of Two Storms

Hurricane Isaac made a slow landfall along Louisiana's Southeast Coast on the 7th anniversary of Katrina.  While the dates may be similar, the storms are very different.

Hurricane Katrina made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum winds near 125mph while Isaac has sustained winds near 80mph.  At one point in the Gulf, Katrina was packing 175mph winds.  The storm surge is also much less with Isaac at between 6 and 12ft.  Katrina had a storm surge of between 15-20ft as it came onto land.

These two graphics compare the track for Katrina vs. the track for Isaac.

Katrina was a much more powerful and a more organized storm.  Isaac had much more difficulty becoming organized - especially due to dry air becoming entrained in the storm.

J-P Dice
Fox 6 Chief Meteorologist
jdice@wbrc.com
Twitter: jpdice_Fox6

Isaac Wave Heights Topping 20ft Over Northern Gulf

Dr. Tim Coleman added a post earlier about the tidal surge already taking place in south Alabama. The water levels at Dauphin Island are already at 2.5 ft. above normal levels. He says we've already passed the point of atronomical high tide, good news for coastal Alabama. This is the latest wave height graphic from Fox 6 Live Vipir. Check out the 20 ft plus markers southeast of the Mouth of the Mississippi River.

Fox6 Meteorologist Wes Wyatt

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