Tracking The Topics:
We’re kicking off the Atlantic hurricane season with some tropical interest already starting to brew in the Gulf of Mexico. This area of interest is part of the leftovers from Hurricane Agatha that slammed into the Pacific coast of Mexico earlier this week.
While this won’t be a threat to Texas, if you have family or travel plans to central and south Florida, make sure you check for updates on the track and intensity of this developing system. It does not appear to be a major wind issue, but could cause some flooding concerns with rainfall totals that may reach up to 6-10″ in some areas.
What’s Happening In The Gulf Right Now?
Thankfully, the answer to that is not much! However, there are many factors that we will continue to watch as we head into the tropical season. The first is the seas surface temperatures of the Gulf. The water remains very warm, including the Gulf Stream current which represents the bright purple color in the graphic below. Think of it as a hot boiler plate: If a tropical disturbance moves over top of this stream of very warm water, it *can* intensify quickly.
In fact, this is part of the Gulf Stream current that helps to amplify storm development each summer in the Gulf. This year, it is particularly strong. Chief Meteorologist Frank Billingsley has a great blog entry about what that may mean for our season. You can find it here along with all of Hurricane and Flood Survival Guide and everything for your hurricane prep: KPRC 2 Hurricane HQ
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