TROPICAL WEATHER
Ida becomes a Cat 1 and could grow stronger
BY CURTIS MORGAN
cmorgan@MiamiHerald.com
Hurricane Ida steamed toward the Yucatan Channel on Sunday, a Category 1
storm that could grow stronger, and last longer, than forecasters had
expected earlier and bring strong winds and rain to much of Florida by
midweek.
At 7 a.m., the National Hurricane Center said Ida's winds had hit 90
mph, with gusts up to 110 mph. It could reach Category Two later Sunday.
Ida was still expected to weaken as it churns into cooler waters of the
northern Gulf of Mexico -- but more slowly than previously forecast.
The center's latest track doesn't downgrade it to a tropical storm until
Ida is sitting uncomfortably close to the front porch of coastal
Louisiana -- less than 200 miles from New Orleans and the
Alabama-Mississippi border.
From there, forecaster expect Ida to veer east-northeast toward the
Panhandle and then hook back south, but also rapidly lose strength,
dropping from a storm to a depression and finally into a remnant
extratropical system.
If that path holds, the strongest winds might remain just offshore, but
the Gulf Coast from Louisiana down to Naples could be lashed with heavy
waves, winds and rain.
As they have over the last several days, forecasters stressed there was
a high degree of uncertainty over Ida's track and fate. As it nears the
Gulf Coast, computer models disagree on the timing and effect of wind
shear and a cold front approaching from the south.
Forecasters said Ida could dump from three to five inches of rain over
the Yucatan Peninsula and western Cuba, with 10 inches possible in
isolated areas. Both areas also could see storm surges of three to four
feet and dangerous surf and seas.
Mexico issued hurricane warnings for the Yucatan Peninsula from Playa
del Carmen to Cabo Catoche, including Cancun and Cozumel. That means
hurricane conditions are expected within 24 hours.
Tropical-storm warnings were in effect for the Yucatan Peninsula from
Punta Allen northward to San Felipe, western Cuba and the Isle of Youth.
Grand Cayman Island discontinued warnings.
The state emergency operations center in Tallahassee was monitoring
Ida's track and urging residents to do the same.
Ida formed with less than a month left in the hurricane season, which
officially ends on Dec. 1, but forecasters said that's not all that
unusual. The average is one or two a year with most, like Ida, forming
in the late season hurricane hot house of the Caribbean.
Ida becomes a Cat 1 and could grow stronger - Hurricanes -
MiamiHerald.com (8 November 2009)
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/weather/hurricanes/story/1323009.html
No comments:
Post a Comment