Three named systems and another in the Gulf are among five areas to watch in South MS
South Mississippi is sweltering with heat indexes well over 100 degrees as Emily, Franklin and Gert are named systems in the Atlantic and two more are expected to intensify in the Gulf and the Atlantic.
“Monitoring several tropical storms and a disturbance in the Gulf but only minor marine impacts are expected with this disturbance. No other systems moving this way at the moment,” the National Weather Service in New Orleans said in a tweet Monday morning.
Here are the tropical systems the National Hurricane Center is watching:
▪ Gulf system — Disturbance 1 is likely to bring watches and warnings Monday as it passes well south of Mississippi. The National Hurricane Center says it has an 80% chance to intensify into a tropical depression or tropical storm before it reaches an areas near southern Texas and northern Mexico on Tuesday.
▪ Tropical Storm Franklin is next in the line of systems parading across the Atlantic. It is expected to bring heavy rain to Cuba and turn north and then northeast, away from the US mainland.
▪ Tropical Storm Gert looks more threatening to the mainland as the system moves at 9 mph, headed north of Puerto Rico on its current track. But the National Hurricane Center says Gert will weaken to a remnant low this afternoon and dissipate Tuesday afternoon.
▪ Tropical Storm Emily is expected to intensify as it tracks west-northwest and a tropical depression is expected to form later this week. Its current track puts it as more of a threat to the East Coast than the Gulf, but it’s too soon to tell.
▪ Disturbance 2 is following Emily as it comes off the coast of Africa. It has an 80% chance of formation over the next seven days.
The three Coast counties are under a burn ban, and the current forecast doesn’t show much rain expected from any of these storms. The National Weather Service forecast for Gulfport is for a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms on the Coast Friday through Sunday.
The Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters, based at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, made their last flight into Hurricane Hillary that battered the West Coast. Pilots, meteorologists and support personnel are prepared to fly into any storms that threaten the U.S.
With so much action in the tropics, it’s also time for residents of South Mississippi to begin preparing for storms that may track to the central Gulf.
NOAA advises residents and business owners take steps to prepare for tropical weather:
▪ Develop an evacuation plan.
▪ Assemble disaster supplies. Stock up on non-perishable food, water and medicine to last each person in your family a minimum of three days, along with extra cash, a battery-powered radio and flashlights.
▪ Get an insurance checkup & document your possessions.
▪ Create a communication plan. Determine family meeting places, write down on paper a list of emergency contacts, including utilities.
This story was originally published August 21, 2023 at 9:24 AM.
