Tropical Storm Bill Downgraded To Tropical Depression

Tropical Storm Bill's lifetime as a tropical storm was barely twenty-four hours. The system, which was not particularly strong to being with, has weakened over the Texas Hill Country and as of the 1am advisory from the National Hurricane Center is no longer a tropical storm.

Tropical Depression Bill does remain a threat to life and safety especially for residents of the Lone Star State. The main threat from Bill and the eventual remnants of Bill will be heavy tropical rains. Texas had been suffering from a drought of historic proportions until early this year.

Recent heavy rains have filled lakes, rivers, streams, creeks, and ditches to capacity in many places around the state. Many of those same water distribution channels will now be taxed further by the moisture from Bill.

The center of circulation for Bill was currently 40 miles east of Austin Texas, as of 1am. The system is now moving in a northerly direction and this will take the rain and gusty  breezes north along I-35 toward the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. This could mean some high water and potential flooding for on of the nation's largest cities.

Fortunately for Louisiana residents most of the heavy rains and coastal flooding problems that were predicted with Bill's arrival were very short lived. The damage, where there was damage, was minimal compared to what could have been. The tropical forecast suggests that the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Basin should be quiet and free from tropical development for at least the next few days.