From the Rantburg Weather Center: A hurricane watch has been issued from the mouth of the Pearl River to Panama City, Fla. Friday as Tropical Arlene continues to gain strength, according to the National Hurricane Center. On its current track, the center of Arlene will be approaching the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday. However, most of the weather associated with Arlene will arrive much earlier than the center, according to a report issued Friday. Some strengthening is forecasted during the next 24 hours and it is possible that Arlene could reach hurricane strength before landfall, the National Hurricane Center said. Maximum sustained winds are near 60 mph with higher gusts. Also at 11 a.m., a tropical storm warning was issued for the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico from Grand Isle, La., to St. Marks, Fla., including Lake Pontchartrain.
The poorly-defined center of Arlene has reformed a little north of the previous position, according to the National Hurricane Center.
At 11 a.m. EDT, Arlene's poorly defined center was about 470 miles south-southeast of Pensacola. The storm was moving north at about 13 mph, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. Wind and rain extended 150 miles to the north and east from the storm's center.
Projected Track map here. |