Franklin Nearing Mexico, Gert Soon to Develop?

The season’s 1^st hurricane will move into Mexico before daybreak with winds to 85 mph plus rainfall of 6-12”.  Hurricane Franklin is getting stronger down over the extreme southern Gulf.  He will not threaten the U.S.   NHC placed 2 new areas under possible potential this afternoon.   The closest one is just east of Miami and has little chance for development since it’s so close to land.  Farther out east of the Leeward Islands is 99L, which showed some hints at a circulation on the daylight Sat. loop.  Tonight there is a flare up of storms around that rotation and NHC may make it a depression by morning if development continues.  Computer models keep 99L offshore east of the Carolinas, but I feel this system (Gert?) could get close to the Carolinas by late in the weekend.  Still, no model brings any threat into the Gulf during the next 7-14 days.

 

NOAA issued their revised Hurricane outlook today and now calls for 14-19 named storms.   So far, the 1^st five storms have been short lived & not a problem.  The 6^th (Franklin) is going to have some strong impacts on the Mexican coast.  As long as these systems go elsewhere, we can breathe easy.  However, now knowing 21 pumps are not functioning during the height of hurricane season should send a chill up most folks spine if you live in Orleans Parish.   As I mentioned in past blogs, if my house or business is effected by flooding heavy downpours, I would become proactive and invest in several options that will help keep the flood waters out.  House raising is far too expensive for most folks, but water dams are not.   Slow moving heavy downpours are not new to NOLA, especially in late summer.  Repair your damages, but prepare for the next flood so you won’t be the victim again.

 

Learned earlier this week that longtime Boston Weathercaster, Dick Albert died at age 73.  I had met Dick at several weather conferences and knew he too was a graduate of the University of Michigan.  I graduated in 1969 and went into the service while Dick went into the service and then went to U-M afterwards graduating in 1972.   When colleagues around my age pass away, it gets me thinking that I made the right decision to retire at 68.   I am in the Autumn of my life with Winter just around the corner.  When the journey will end, only the Creator knows.   Stay tuned!