UNITED STATES NEWS

Tropical system set to drench parts of Gulf Coast, could strengthen, forecasters say

Sep 8, 2024, 11:08 AM | Updated: 11:22 am

HOUSTON (AP) — A tropical disturbance in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico was expected to bring significant rainfall to parts of Texas and Louisiana this week and could quickly develop into a stronger storm, including a hurricane, the National Weather Service says.

The system was forecast to drift slowly northwestward during the next couple of days, moving near and along the Gulf coasts of Mexico and Texas, the weather service said Sunday.

Donald Jones, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles, Louisiana, said during a weather briefing Saturday night that parts of Southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana should expect a “whole lot” of rain in the middle and later part of this week.

“Definitely want to continue to keep a very close eye on the forecast here in the coming days because this is something that could develop and evolve fairly rapidly. We’re looking at anything from a non-named just tropical moisture air mass all the way up to the potential for a hurricane,” Jones said.

Warm water temperatures and other conditions in the Gulf of Mexico are favorable for storm development, Jones said.

“We’ve seen it before, where we have these rapid spin up hurricanes in just a couple of days or even less. So that is not out of the realm of possibility here,” Jones said.

An Air-Force Reserve hurricane hunter aircraft was scheduled to investigate the tropical disturbance later Sunday and gather more data.

The tropical disturbance comes after an unusually quiet August and early September in the current Atlantic hurricane season, which runs through Nov. 30. The season was set to peak on Tuesday, Jones said.

So far, there have been five named storms this hurricane season, including Hurricane Beryl, which knocked out power to nearly 3 million homes and businesses in Texas — mostly in the Houston area — in July. Experts had predicted one of the busiest Atlantic hurricane seasons on record.

In a report issued last week, researchers at Colorado State University cited several reasons for the lull in activity during the current hurricane season, including extremely warm upper level temperatures resulting in stabilization of the atmosphere and too much easterly wind shear in the eastern Atlantic.

“We still do anticipate an above-normal season overall, however, given that large-scale conditions appear to become more favorable around the middle of September,” according to the report.

Last month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration updated its outlook but still predicted a highly active Atlantic hurricane season. Forecasters tweaked the number of expected named storms from 17 to 25 to 17 to 24.

United States News

Associated Press

Honeywell, one of the few remaining US industrial conglomerates, will split into three companies

Honeywell, one of the last remaining U.S. industrial conglomerates, will split into three independent companies, following in the footsteps of manufacturing giants like General Electric and Alcoa. The North Carolina company said Thursday that it will split off its automation and aerospace technologies businesses. There will now be three publicly listed companies including a previously […]

1 hour ago

Roger Krone, chief executive officer of Scouting America, describes the design of the organization'...

Associated Press

Boy Scouts see a small membership uptick after rebrand to Scouting America

IRVING, Texas (AP) — A historic rebrand of the Boy Scouts of America has been followed by a small uptick in young people joining what will now be called Scouting America, a welcoming sign as the organization tries to move past scandal and bankruptcy. The group will continue leaning into a broad message of inclusivity […]

2 hours ago

FILE - A general view shows the aftermath of a devastating wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii, Aug. 22, 20...

Associated Press

What to know about what’s tying up a $4B settlement for Hawaii wildfire victims

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii’s Supreme Court is set to hear arguments Thursday over insurance issues that are tying up a potential $4 billion settlement over Maui’s catastrophic 2023 wildfire, the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century. The massive inferno decimated the historic town of Lahaina, killing more than 100 people, destroying thousands […]

7 hours ago

Washington Attorney General Nick Brown departs a press availability after a federal judge temporari...

Associated Press

What to know about the court cases over President Trump’s birthright citizenship order

SEATTLE (AP) — A federal judge who already questioned the constitutionality of President Donald Trump’s birthright citizenship executive order is set to hear arguments Thursday over a longer-term pause of the directive, which aims to end citizenship for children born to parents not legally in the country. U.S. District Judge John Coughenour in Seattle has […]

8 hours ago

Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi, right, and his girlfriend Nani Hinton, left, pet...

Associated Press

Kansas City Chiefs player becomes a coach to a mutt named Parsnip for the ‘Puppy Bowl’

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Before the Kansas City Chiefs made it to their third-straight Super Bowl berth, one player took to coaching a puppy for a different big game. Chiefs defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi and his girlfriend, Nani Hinton, visited The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City in October to coach Parsnip, a 4-month-old […]

8 hours ago

In this photograph provided by Kathyrn McKee, fellow hiker Beata LeLacheur climbs the Westside trai...

Associated Press

Freezing hikers stuck in waist-deep snow rescued during Mount Washington whiteout

The two friends had hiked New Hampshire’s challenging Mount Washington trail a month ago. They returned and did it again Sunday after trekking through neighboring peaks in the White Mountains. Both veteran hikers, the women were an hour behind schedule on their descent and losing daylight, but they had warm clothing, headlamps and other gear. […]

8 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Bright Wealth Management

How to start your retirement planning early and avoid costly mistakes

Retirement planning can feel overwhelming, but with the right guidance, you can avoid costly pitfalls.

...

Fiesta Bowl Foundation

Join us for the 52nd annual Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade

The 52nd annual Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe returns on Saturday, December 28, at 10 a.m.

...

Schwartz Laser Eye Center

Don’t miss the action with this game-changing procedure

PHOENIX -- The clear lens exchange procedure has emerged as a popular alternative to LASIK eye surgery.

Tropical system set to drench parts of Gulf Coast, could strengthen, forecasters say