Tropical Storm Sally expected to hit Gulf Coast as a hurricane. Paulette nears Bermuda
Tropical Storm Sally moved into the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday after dumping several inches of rain on South Florida overnight. It’s expected to become a hurricane as it reaches the Northern Gulf Coast, with a hurricane warning in effect along much of the region, including metro New Orleans.
Sally has sustained winds of 60 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 10 p.m. update Sunday, and could reach southeastern Louisiana as early as Monday night. The hurricane center said storm surge of up to 11 feet is possible near the center of the storm along the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, Mississippi.
Isolated parts of the central Gulf Coast from the western Florida panhandle to southeast Louisiana could see up to 24 inches of rain from Monday through the middle of the week, while much of the region could get six to 12 inches, forecasters said.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency Saturday evening. In New Orleans, Mayor LaToya Cantrell issued a mandatory evacuation order for residents living outside the city’s levee protection system, effective 6 p.m. Sunday.
A turn toward the west-northwest was expected through Monday. Sally may see a decrease in forward speed and a turn toward the north-northwest on Tuesday.
“On the forecast track, the center of Sally will move over the eastern Gulf of Mexico today, move over the north-central Gulf of Mexico tonight and Monday, and approach the north-central Gulf Coast within the hurricane warning area late Monday and Monday night,” forecasters said.
Impact on South Florida weather
When Sally passed through South Florida as a depression, it led to flood advisories overnight Sunday as the storm moved west.
Sally dropped about a foot of rain on parts of the Florida Keys and several inches in much of Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
Just before 1 p.m. Sunday, the National Weather Service said that while southwest Florida saw the heaviest rainfall since Saturday, parts of the Miami metro area got about five inches of rain overnight.
Hurricane Paulette approaches Bermuda
Hurricane Paulette was churning toward Bermuda on Sunday with maximum sustained winds of 85 miles per hour, and was expected to pass over or near the island Monday morning. The storm is projected to strengthen and be a “dangerous hurricane” when it approaches the island overnight.
“Strengthening is forecast, and Paulette is expected to be a dangerous hurricane when it approaches Bermuda late tonight and early Monday,” the National Hurricane Center said in its 11 p.m. update Sunday. “Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.”
Bermuda’s government said Saturday that the forecast points to “a direct hit by a Category 2 hurricane” Monday morning with hurricane conditions lasting up to nine hours. The government announced the closure of schools Monday and Tuesday and the closure of its international airport from 6 p.m. local time Sunday until 12 p.m. Tuesday.
Tropical Depression 20
Further south in the Atlantic, forecasters say Tropical Depression 20 is forecast to become a tropical storm Sunday night and could become a hurricane on Tuesday, according to a 5 p.m. NHC advisory Sunday.
The depression was about 1,600 miles east of the Lesser Antilles and about 940 miles west-northwest of the Cabo Verde Islands with 35 mph maximum sustained winds and traveling west-northwest at 12 mph.
Currently, there are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
The next named storm would be Teddy.
Tropical Depression Rene
Tropical Depression Rene has weakened again and is forecast to become a remnant low on Monday.
At 5 p.m. Sunday, Rene was about 1,145 miles northeast of the Northern Leeward Islands. Maximum sustained winds dropped to 30 mph with higher gusts. A slower northwest motion is expected on Sunday and Monday. A turn to the west-southwest is expected by Monday and Tuesday, the hurricane center said.
Tropical Waves
A tropical disturbance over the north-central Gulf of Mexico was producing disorganized showers and a few thunderstorms, forecasters said in the 8 p.m. advisory Saturday.
It is forecast to see some slow development but the strong winds related to Tropical Storm Sally will probably limit the chances of the disturbance forming into a tropical cyclone.
It is forecast to move westward then southwestward through the middle of next week. The disturbance has a low 10 percent chance of forming in the next 48 hours and a low 20 percent chance of forming in the next five days.
Another tropical wave near the Cabo Verde Islands off the the coast of Africa was causing showers and thunderstorms.
Forecasters say environmental conditions may allow for some development during the next few days and a tropical depression could form over the far Eastern Tropical Atlantic early next week.
The wave has a 70 percent chance of forming in the next 48 hours and a 70 percent chance of forming in the next five days.
This story was originally published September 12, 2020 at 11:25 PM with the headline "Tropical Storm Sally expected to hit Gulf Coast as a hurricane. Paulette nears Bermuda."
