Disturbed Weather In The Gulf, What The Latest Forecasts Are Showing

(KMDL-FM) Persons with interests along the northern Gulf Coast from Louisiana through Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle should be keeping up with the latest forecasts from local media and the National Hurricane Center regarding an area of disturbed weather that could now affect the coastlines of all four states.

seashore during daytime — Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash

As of early Saturday morning, the National Hurricane Center was monitoring an area of disturbed weather and an upper-level low-pressure system centered in the northeastern Gulf. This area of disturbed weather was producing showers and storms along the coast this morning.

Potential Tropical Development Near Louisiana Coast

The current track guidance suggests the weather system will continue a northerly or northwesterly motion very slowly over the next several days. This motion would bring more of Louisiana's coastline into play. But the effects, if any, would still be several days away.

The intensity forecast from the National Hurricane Center does not suggest any rapid strengthening at all. Some tropical systems, when allowed to sit over the warm waters of the Gulf, can intensify rapidly, but that is not anticipated by forecasters at this time.

As of now, forecasters give the system a 30% chance of strengthening over the next seven days. That, combined with the system's proximity to the coastline, seems to suggest that as a weathermaker, this system will be more of a shower and thundershower producer.

It could kick up some strong currents along the beaches too. But as of now things look to be fairly settling along the beaches of Alabama and Florida at least through the weekend and early next week.

Heat Risks Looming Large for South Louisiana Through Early Next Week

Perhaps the greater concern in the near term for Louisiana is the heat. A large portion of the state is under a heat advisory this morning. I would not be surprised to see that extended to even more of the state for Sunday and the early part of the workweek.

The next few days will bring some of the highest heat index values that South Louisiana has experienced this summer. Please take precautions, use common sense, and know basic first aid for heat exhaustion and heat stroke; it could save someone's life.