2008.08.30
Gustav explodes into strong hurricane overnight
UPDATE 4 PM: Gustav has intensified into an upper-end Category 4 hurricane with winds of 145 mph, still headed on a course that will take it across western Cuba, into the Gulf, and likely toward the Lousiana/Texas Gulf Coast area by Monday. END UPDATE
Hurricane Gustav wasted no time on its promise to become a dangerous Category 3 hurricane, now with 125 mph winds. Later today it will make landfall in western Cuba, but is crossing such a narrow part of the island nation that it probably will weaken only slightly, if at all, before resuming its course over very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It is still forecast to reach the northern Gulf Coast late Monday or early Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the National Hurricane Center continues to monitor 3 other areas of interest: Tropical Storm Hanna north of Puerto Rico, and two disturbances in the open Atlantic, one of which is rated as having a high risk of development into the next tropical depression. The next tropical storm in the Atlantic will be named Ike.
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Haven't we been here before? Gustav's little tag-along Hannah following a slightly altered, yet similar track?
And where will the jet stream be around Weds. when Gustav is on land, how much of this moisture will mitigate severe flooding in the southern region?
As a wise Floridian once said (after the 3rd hurricane of the season passed through) "Why-o why-o why-o did I ever leave Ohio?"
Comment by Roanoke.Found — August 30, 2008 @ 4:50 pm
Gustav will probably not affect our region, at least directly. High pressure is building in, again, from the northeast ... that will bring us some nice cool almost fall-like weather early in the coming week but will push Gustav's remnants west into the southern Plains. The only way we would get moisture out of Gustav is if a front sweeps some of it our way later. Hanna is another story. The same high will keep it from making much progress westward this week. By late in the week, there may be a subtle shift in the overall pattern that will allow Hanna to move more northward or northwest. But Hanna may get caught in some of Gustav's outflow aloft and not strengthen much, or could even diminish. So in terms of Southeast/mid-Atlantic drought relief -- Gustav is not likely to help, Hanna is a big maybe in the distant future, i.e. at least a week out.
Comment by Kevin Myatt — August 30, 2008 @ 5:16 pm
It looked for awhile that Gustav might go a bit farther west but I'd say looking at it now, this thing is going to slingshot itself right at New Orleans.
Comment by Brandon R. — August 30, 2008 @ 10:04 pm