Tropical Storm Ida Will Bring Heavy Rain

Tropical Storm Ida 5-day Track, Image: NHC, NOAA

Tropical Storm Ida has made a comeback, packing 60 mile per hour winds this Saturday morning as it quickly makes a beeline for the central Gulf of Mexico. The northern Gulf Coast could be slammed with heavy rain Monday and Tuesday. You’ll notice on the hurricane tracking map from the National Hurricane Center Ida will become extra-tropical or more like a winter-type cyclone by Tuesday. Strong winds and large waves could still affect portions of the Gulf Coast, and you need to watch your local TV forecast for the latest watches and warnings — go to GET YOUR LOCAL TV FORECAST! in the right hand column of this website. You can see from the tracking map that even though portions of Southern Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the panhandle of Florida will receive some heavy rain and gusty winds, they will avoid the damaging winds and coastal surge associated with a tropical storm or hurricane.

Tropical Storm Ida Visible Satellite, Image: NOAA

The storm is looking fairly healthy this morning. This wasn’t unexpected as it is over a deep well of warm water over the northwestern Caribbean Sea. It is possible it could strengthen into a hurricane in the next 24-hours as it makes its way through the Yucatan Straits. Once Ida moves into the Gulf of Mexico, it will encounter cooler waters and high wind shear. (60-90 miles an hour) For more information on wind shear and how it affects storms, see my previous blog from earlier this week.

-Dawn Brown