The Atlantic season started late, but it is in full gear. Here’s the latest as of 10 a.m.:
CLAUDETTE: Claudette leads off our trio of tropical trouble on this Sunday. Tropical Depression Four formed in the SE Gulf last night and has moved steadily northwest. Its center is about 200 miles southeast of Pensacola moving NW at 14 mph. It is very near tropical storm strength and indeed may already be. Air Force plane is enroute to the system to check it out.
It will make landfall on the Florida Panhandle as a mid-range tropical storm tonight. Top winds should be about 50-60 mph. Heavy rain will overspread the Gulf Coast later today, especially east of the center’s track. The center will move up through Alabama tonight, taking a position near Tuscaloosa tomorrow afternoon. Rain and storms will be widespread, with the potential for heavy rain, gusty winds and even small tornadoes across much of Central Alabama on Monday.
BILL: Continues to strengthen. Top winds now 60mph. By tomorrow morning, Tropical Storm Bill will still be 1,000 miles east of the Lesser Antilles and still be a tropical storm. It will become a major hurricane by Wednesday. It will begin curving to the northwest though in response to a building trough over the eastern U.S., which will sweep it northward off the East Coast. It could threaten New England over the weekend, but most likely will affect the Canadian Maritimes.
ANA: Weak Tropical Storm Ana is about 400 miles east of the islands of the Lesser Antilles. Top winds are 40 mph. It will pass through the Leeward Islands tonight, probably over Guadaloupe. Tropical storm watches are in effect for parts of the islands. It will bring tropical storm conditions to the northern Leewards and Virgin Islands. Additional strengthening does not appear likely. It will run the gauntlet of the mountainous islands of the Greater Antilles, passing south of Puerto Rico, running smack into Hispaniola and traversing Cuba. This will knock it down if not kill it. It emerges into the Gulf on Thursday. Don’t write this on off just yet. Another storm took this path in 1979. Its name? Frederic.
