Hurricane Center Increases Odds of Development

Here is the Friday evening update/change from The National Hurricane Center. See updated figure (to right) showing 30 to 50% chance for development.

A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS CENTERED OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO ABOUT 200 MILES SOUTH OF PENSACOLA FLORIDA. SATELLITE IMAGERY INDICATES THAT THE ASSOCIATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO INCREASE THIS EVENING. ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SYSTEM ISPOSSIBLE...AND A TROPICAL DEPRESSION COULD FORM BEFORE THE LOWMOVES INLAND OVER THE NORTHERN GULF COAST ON SATURDAY. AN AIRFORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT WILL INVESTIGATE THE LOWTOMORROW...IF NECESSARY. THERE IS A MEDIUM CHANCE...30 TO 50PERCENT...OF THIS SYSTEM BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THENEXT 48 HOURS. REGARDLESS OF DEVELOPMENT...HEAVY RAINS AND OCCASIONALLY GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED ALONG PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN GULF COAST TONIGHT AND SATURDAY...AND INTERESTS IN THIS AREA SHOULD MONITOR THE PROGRESS OF THE SYSTEM.ANOTHER SPECIAL OUTLOOK ON THIS SYSTEM WILL BE ISSUED EARLY SATURDAY MORNING...IF NECESSARY.

First named storm will be Ana (by the way).

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Still Watching Gulf/Memorial Weekend Weather/Graduations

HURRICANES AND WEATHER
The National Hurricane Center issued this special statement about Invest 90L on Friday Afternoon.
SATELLITE IMAGES INDICATE THAT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH A BROAD AREA OF LOW PRESSURE OVER THE NORTH-CENTRAL GULF OFMEXICO HAVE INCREASED TODAY. SOME SLOW DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SYSTEMIS POSSIBLE AS IT MOVES SLOWLY NORTHWARD...AND AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER AIRCRAFT WILL INVESTIGATE THE LOW TOMORROW...IFNECESSARY. THERE IS A LOW CHANCE...LESS THAN 30 PERCENT...OF TROPICAL CYCLONE DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA BEFORE THE SYSTEM REACHESTHE COAST ON SATURDAY. REGARDLESS OF DEVELOPMENT...HEAVY RAINS AND OCCASIONALLY GUSTY WINDS ARE EXPECTED ALONG PORTIONS OF THE NORTHERN GULF COAST TODAY AND SATURDAY.

So, they have less than a 30% chance for development into a tropical depression. One thing we know is that it can produce copious rainfall. Nearly 2 feet of rain fell in northern Florida.

All models track it northwest, north or north-northeast into the north central Gulf.

On Saturday, most of the country will have highs in the 70s and 80s, warmer in the southwest, and cooler (60s) along the west coast, Great Lakes and northern New England. Showers and thunderstorms are expected everywhere (see Storm Prediction Center map at right). There will be little change on Sunday.

Houston, wasn't the cloudiness nice today? Yes it was warm and humid, but the clouds (from the circulation around the large system in the Gulf) kept us a bit cooler. This isn't a tightly organized circulation where dry air is being pulled around the west side. I think there will be rain bands over us both Saturday and Sunday. Don't know if it will be enough to cancel soccer and baseball games (sorry Marilyn), but it will be a factor in outdoor activities. Remember the best way to be safe around lightning is to move indoors. Monday, when many are observing Memorial Day, should have the least rain...but a lot will depend on how that system tracks. Will let you know, but I think you'll get that barbecue done.

SPANISH WORD OF THE DAY
Let's do graduation or graduación, pronounced grah-dju-ah-see-OWN. It's finally here, graduación time.

Well, if your children are just getting started (with graduation being many years away), there is something you can do to give them more career opportunities--help them learn more than one language. And I would recommend as a first step, our award winning DVD, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. You can order your copy from www.frankandpaco.com/. You can also order from http://www.venturaes.com/, http://www.dololanguages.com/, http://www.carlexonline.com,www.thecuriousmindstore.com/, http://www.amazon.com/,http://www.bestbuy.com/, and http://www.barnesandnoble.com/. Volume 2 is almost ready for release and Volume 3 will follow soon thereafter!!! For our English as a Second Language (ESL) version, got to http://www.frankypaco.com/.

AND MORE
I think this year wins the prize for most graduations to remember: my sister-in-law Wanda, nieces Lindsay, Courtney, Korey, friends Brooke, Stacy, Shim...Whew! Have I forgotten anyone? Congratulations to all of you! You reached your goal!

Have a safe Memorial Weekend everyone. Let us not forget those who gave their lives so that we could live our's.
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman