Hurricane Center Watching Gulf South of Louisiana for Development

There is something about the first real cool front that moves through Louisiana. It literally changes everyone's mindset. In the course of one weekend, we've gone from one of the most miserably hot and sticky summers in history to "chamber of commerce-type" temperatures and suddenly everyone is feeling good about life again.

Such is life along the northern Gulf Coast.

And while a lot of us spent this past weekend enjoying being outside without wilting in the summer heat there was one question that I heard asked more than a few times. That question, "Do you think this is it for hurricane season"? According to hurricane climatology, the answer is "No". If you look at the graphic above you can see we still have about six weeks left in the season and we still have one more "peak" to get over.

We say all that to say this, there is an area of disturbed weather in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, the Bay of Campeche, if you will. That area of disturbed weather is just that right now. The National Hurricane Center describes it as a small area of low pressure with associated showers and thunderstorms.

If that storm system was over Ruston, Louisiana it would be no big deal. The fact that it is over the very warm waters of a very volatile Gulf of Mexico is reason enough to be concerned. Although, forecasters aren't suggesting we concern ourselves with this particular system that much, at least right now.

As you can see in the graphic above from the Hurricane Center the thinking is the area will move to the north. But atmospheric conditions over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico should hamper the system's ability to grow stronger at least that's the thinking right now. But it does appear as though this system could be the catalyst for an increased threat of rain across Louisiana by midweek.

As always with this and any tropical system, we will simply have to watch it and make sure that we forward the latest information to you in a timely manner. In the meantime, enjoy today and tomorrow, they're going to be spectacular in Louisiana.