Miami, Florida—(ENEWSPF)—September 2, 2011 – UPDATE 7 PM CDT. The National Hurricane Center is now reporting that Tropical Storm Lee is inching northward.
Summary of Watches and Warnings in Effect
A Tropical Storm Warning is in Effect For:
- Pascagoula, Mississippi westward to Sabine Pass, Texas including the city of New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas.
For storm information specific to your area, including possible inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your Local National Weather Service Forecast Office.
Discussion and 48-Hour Outlook
At 7 PM CDT (0000 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Lee was located near latitude 27.8 north, longitude 91.6 west. Lee is moving toward the north near 3 mph (6 km/h). A slow and possibley erratic motion toward the northwest or north is expected during the next day or so. On the forecast track, the center of the Tropical Storm is expected to approach the coast of southern Louisiana during the weekend.
Maximum sustained winds remain near 45 mph (75 km/h) with higher gusts. Gradual strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 200 miles (325 km) mainly northeast through southeast of the center. An elevated Coastal Marine Observing Station at southwest Pass, Louisiana recently measured a sustained wind of 48 mph with a gust to 56 mph. A wind gust to 38 mph was recently reported in Boothville, Louisiana.
The estimated minimum central pressure based on reports from nearby oil rigs is 1001 mb (29.56 inches).
Hazards Affecting Land
Tropical Storm Lee is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 10 to 15 inches over southern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, and southern Alabama through Sunday with possible isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches. These rains are expected to cause extensive flooding especially in urban areas. Rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches will be possible over the Florida Panhandle through Sunday.
A storm surge will raise water levels by as much as 2 to 4 feet above ground level along the northern Gulf Coast within the Tropical Storm warning area. Elevated water levels are also possible east of the warning area over coastal portions of Alabama and the Florida Panhandle resulting in minor coastal flooding within these areas. See products issued by Local National Weather Service Forecast Offices for more details.
Tropical Storm conditions are expected to first reach the coast within the warning area this evening.
Isolated tornadoes are possible tonight over portions of southern Louisiana and extreme southern Mississippi.
Source: nhc.noaa.gov
