Tropical Storm Gustav Strengthens As It Eyes Gulf
POSTED: Thursday, August 28, 2008
UPDATED: 6:43 pm CDT August 28,
2008
HOUSTON -- Tropical Storm Gustav gained strength Thursday as it continued its deadly path toward the Gulf of Mexico, KPRC Local 2 reported Thursday.
Atlantic Satellites: Infrared | Infrared Loop
Radar: Texas Loop
Interactives: Track Gustav's Path | Hurricane Section
Download: Hurricane Guide | Tracking Chart
Alerts: Weather Alerts Issued
At 7 p.m. CDT Thursday, the center of Tropical Storm Gustav was located at 17.9 north, 77.0 west or about 15 miles west of Kingston, Jamaica. The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 70 mph and was moving west at about 7 mph.Haitian officials are reporting 51 deaths from Gustav, raising the storm's overall toll to 59.Civil protection department director Marie Alta Jean-Baptiste said the death count increased fivefold on Thursday as news reached officials from remote areas.At least 25 people were killed near Jacmel, on the country's southern peninsula, where Gustav came ashore Tuesday as a Category 1 hurricane.Civil protection official Jean-Michel Sabbat said most of those people were killed by landslides and falling trees in the mountains."Gustav is right over Jamaica right now. They're looking for 6 to 12 inches of rain, possibly 25, so a big rain-maker," KPRC Local 2 chief meteorologist Frank Billingsley said. "As this system emerges back over water tomorrow, it's likely to become a hurricane."The storm is expected to regain strength and the hurricane center said it could become a hurricane again by Friday."The whole cone of uncertainty is 600 miles across and the hurricane center is emphasizing that the whole cone really has to watch out, which includes southeast Texas," Billingsley said. "The models have started to trend a little more to the west as opposed to Biloxi, Mobile. They started to come back toward central Louisiana and even southeast Texas. It's expected to hit somewhere in this cone as a category 3 with 120 mph winds.""It's going to turn into a powerful hurricane," KPRC Local 2 meteorologist Anthony Yanez said. "It looks like a category 3. Keep in mind when we talk about the uncertainty of exactly where it's headed, where it's going to make landfall, they did a study over the last 10 years on the intensity forecast of these storms. For a category 3 for example, they found that sometimes it can be as strong, they can have the intensity off and it can be a category 5. It can be two (categories) stronger or two (categories) weaker, so we're looking at either a category 3, possibly a 5 or even a category 1 when it makes landfall."Oil workers began leaving their rigs and New Orleans drew up evacuation plans as forecasters warned the storm could plow into the U.S. Gulf coast as a major hurricane.Gustav will soon be a problem for the United States."Sunday it looks like it's going to move into the Gulf of Mexico as a category 2 or a category 3 storm," Yanez said.It is expected to make landfall on Tuesday or Wednesday."Where this storm could end up on land in the United States could be anywhere from possibly Port O'Connor, maybe Corpus Christi if it goes a little more to the left, or all the way into the Florida panhandle," Yanez said. "While the center of this forecast cone goes right into the heart of Louisiana, it would be very easy to see this move off to the left or move off to the right."Yanez said he thinks it will likely go into Louisiana, but it could go into Texas."I honestly think this is going to be the path of least resistance," Yanez said. "I've got a 400-mile swath here from southeast Texas, from Port O'Connor all the way to New Orleans. If it hits anywhere near Sabine Pass off to the east, our effects are going to be minimal. We might have some gusty winds, but we'll be on the clean side of this hurricane."The storm is expected to strengthen because of the warm water in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
Copyright 2009 by Click2Houston.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Atlantic Satellites: Infrared | Infrared Loop
Radar: Texas Loop
Interactives: Track Gustav's Path | Hurricane Section
Download: Hurricane Guide | Tracking Chart
Alerts: Weather Alerts Issued
At 7 p.m. CDT Thursday, the center of Tropical Storm Gustav was located at 17.9 north, 77.0 west or about 15 miles west of Kingston, Jamaica. The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 70 mph and was moving west at about 7 mph.Haitian officials are reporting 51 deaths from Gustav, raising the storm's overall toll to 59.Civil protection department director Marie Alta Jean-Baptiste said the death count increased fivefold on Thursday as news reached officials from remote areas.At least 25 people were killed near Jacmel, on the country's southern peninsula, where Gustav came ashore Tuesday as a Category 1 hurricane.Civil protection official Jean-Michel Sabbat said most of those people were killed by landslides and falling trees in the mountains."Gustav is right over Jamaica right now. They're looking for 6 to 12 inches of rain, possibly 25, so a big rain-maker," KPRC Local 2 chief meteorologist Frank Billingsley said. "As this system emerges back over water tomorrow, it's likely to become a hurricane."The storm is expected to regain strength and the hurricane center said it could become a hurricane again by Friday."The whole cone of uncertainty is 600 miles across and the hurricane center is emphasizing that the whole cone really has to watch out, which includes southeast Texas," Billingsley said. "The models have started to trend a little more to the west as opposed to Biloxi, Mobile. They started to come back toward central Louisiana and even southeast Texas. It's expected to hit somewhere in this cone as a category 3 with 120 mph winds.""It's going to turn into a powerful hurricane," KPRC Local 2 meteorologist Anthony Yanez said. "It looks like a category 3. Keep in mind when we talk about the uncertainty of exactly where it's headed, where it's going to make landfall, they did a study over the last 10 years on the intensity forecast of these storms. For a category 3 for example, they found that sometimes it can be as strong, they can have the intensity off and it can be a category 5. It can be two (categories) stronger or two (categories) weaker, so we're looking at either a category 3, possibly a 5 or even a category 1 when it makes landfall."Oil workers began leaving their rigs and New Orleans drew up evacuation plans as forecasters warned the storm could plow into the U.S. Gulf coast as a major hurricane.Gustav will soon be a problem for the United States."Sunday it looks like it's going to move into the Gulf of Mexico as a category 2 or a category 3 storm," Yanez said.It is expected to make landfall on Tuesday or Wednesday."Where this storm could end up on land in the United States could be anywhere from possibly Port O'Connor, maybe Corpus Christi if it goes a little more to the left, or all the way into the Florida panhandle," Yanez said. "While the center of this forecast cone goes right into the heart of Louisiana, it would be very easy to see this move off to the left or move off to the right."Yanez said he thinks it will likely go into Louisiana, but it could go into Texas."I honestly think this is going to be the path of least resistance," Yanez said. "I've got a 400-mile swath here from southeast Texas, from Port O'Connor all the way to New Orleans. If it hits anywhere near Sabine Pass off to the east, our effects are going to be minimal. We might have some gusty winds, but we'll be on the clean side of this hurricane."The storm is expected to strengthen because of the warm water in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico.
Tropical Storm Hanna Forms
Meanwhile, the National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Hanna has formed northeast of the northern Leeward Islands in the Atlantic.Hanna, the eighth tropical storm of the Atlantic season, had top sustained winds near 40 mph Thursday.Hanna could produce rainfall of 1 to 4 inches across parts of the Leeward Islands. It's too soon to say if Hanna will affect the United States.For continued weather updates, keep an eye on KPRC Local 2 and www.Click2Houston.com. More Weather:- Weather Section Texas Radar Loop VIPIR Radar Loop 7-Day Forecast National Weather Alert Map River Levels Severe Weather Alerts Monitor Approaching Storms With Premium Weather
- Click2Houston Hurricane Section National Hurricane Center City Of Galveston Galveston County Emergency Management Harris County Emergency Management National Weather Service, Houston and Galveston Information Evacuation Maps
Evacuation Zone Interactive
- Houston TranStar Real-Time Traffic Map
- Traffic Pulse Real-Time Traffic Map
- Traffic Section
- Houston Transtar
- Texas Dept. of Transportation Web site or call 800-452-9292
- Harris County Office of Emergency Management Web site
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport Hobby Airport AirTran Airways American Airlines Continental Airlines Delta Airlines Frontier Airlines JetBlue Northwest Airlines Southwest Airlines United Airlines U.S. Airways
Previous Stories:
- August 27, 2008: Tropical Storm Gustav Heads Toward Gulf
- August 26, 2008: Hurricane Gustav Makes Landfall In Haiti
- August 25, 2008: Tropical Storm Gustav Forms In Caribbean
Copyright 2009 by Click2Houston.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A U.S. Army hospital spokesman says the man suspected in a deadly shooting spree at Fort Hood, Texas, is conscious and able to talk.
A mother talks about the loss of her sons who died in a plane crash with their grandfather, KPRC Local 2 reports.
A man is arrested and charged in connection with his 81-year-old grandfather's death, KPRC Local 2 reports.
A pizza delivery man is robbed while making delivery to what turns out to be a vacant apartment, KPRC Local 2 reports.
Nov. 9, 2009: A mother talks about the loss of her sons who died in a plane crash with their grandfather. ReShonda Tate Billingsley reports.
Anthony Yanez
One of 2 police officers who confronted the alleged Fort Hood killer says he shot Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan before kicking the man's weapon away, handcuffing him and ending the nation's worst killing spree on a military base.
Nov. 7 2009: A traffic tie-up is expected to impact traffic into the work week.
The 13 people killed when an Army psychiatrist allegedly opened fire on fellow soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, included several people who shared the same profession as the alleged shooter. Here is a look at the victims.
Check out the Houston Zoo for family fun for kids of all ages.
A group of men is wanted in connection with at least 29 robberies of businesses throughout Houston, KPRC Local 2 reports.
Viewers send their favorite pictures to KPRC Local 2 meteorologists to feature on air. Send your submission to hotshots@click2houston.com and watch Local 2 to see if it's picked.
A soldier opened fire at a U.S. Army base in Fort Hood, Texas, on Thursday, unleashing a stream of gunfire that left 13 people dead and 31 wounded.
Email Alerts
RSS News Feeds
Mobile
Live Streams
Slideshows
Video
Search
