Possible tropical disturbance to enter Gulf next week
Published 6:28 pm Thursday, September 24, 2015
Meteorologists are keeping an eye on an area of low pressure that’s expected to enter the Gulf of Mexico later in the week.
The broad trough of low pressure, or area of thunderstorms, is currently in the northwest Caribbean Sea and will be in the southern Gulf of Mexico by late Sunday or early Monday, National Weather Service-Lake Charles Meteorologist Andy Tingler said.
“Right now the National Hurricane Center is giving it a 20 percent chance of development over the next five days,” Tingler said.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 with peak season occurring around Sept. 12. Hurricane Rita struck southeast Texas Sept. 24, 2005 and Hurricane Ike struck near Galveston Sept. 13, 2008.
“We have just made it through the first half of the season,” he added.
The forecast for the 2015 hurricane season is for fewer than average season with six to 10 named storms. There have been nine named storms so far this season.
Gulf waters remain warm with temperatures in the mid-80s, which is slightly cooler then back in July when the water temperatures near the coast were around 90 degrees.
In other weather related news, there is a small chance for rain through Saturday then the chances increase Sunday through mid-week, depending on the track of the area of low pressure.
Temperatures will be in the mid-60s to lower 70s at night, and mainly in the 85 to 90 degree range in the afternoons this upcoming week, according to the NWS.
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