Now I know my ABCs -- Gustav, Ike, Josephine what's next?

The next one will be Kyle and there is an area over West Africe with potential.

But back to what is close at hand. Bands of rain swirling around the remnant Gustav moved through extreme southeast Texas...golden triangle...Orange, Beaumont, Port Arthur. West of there, temperatures soared. The dew points were down a bit...so I'm going to say it was a dry heat...okay, okay a drier heat...let's call it searing. Sugar Land got up to 98. That's sidewalk egg cooking temperatures.

Anyway, guess what...we might just get an early cold front late Wednesday. Not every model agrees but I think it probably will happen thinks to the boosting push provided by what is left of Gustav. So expect slightly lower temperatures early Wednesday and a more pleasant day.

Hanna is struggling this evening but still forecast to strengthen to a hurricane by landfall on South Carolina late Friday. GFDL brings Ike into Caribbean on Sunday. And, today's new storm, Josephine is looking healthy too...don't think this will be a concern for the Houston area. Keep an eye on that Ike though.

Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco has been awarded top 10 educational products of 2008!!! Get your copy of this valuable and fun children's DVD from my web site: www.frankandpaco.com, bestbuy.com, barnesandnoble.com or amazon.com.

Stay cool and be safe.

More to come!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Busy Tropics - Gustav, Hanna, Ike and almost Josephine

September 2nd and it's hopping in the tropics...lots of things to watch. Be sure to look to the right for all the latest stats on every area of interest.

Some of southeast Texas's top focal points include Gustav. For the Houston area, the rain potential is almost gone. In fact, we're enjoying some drier air and a nice northerly breeze. Elsewhere, Gustav not so kind...outer bands especially east of the storm all the way to Florida spinning down funnels and even tornadoes. Looking less and less like a Trinity, San Jacinto watershed problem but it's not over till its over.

So, enjoy the break from the heat. But keep those eyes open. Ike is still forecast to strengthen and head toward the Gulf by week's end. And now there is newly formed Tropical Depression #10 just off the coast of West Africa. This one should become Tropical Storm Josephine today.

A lot of people wonder about the names for the storms. The modern naming effort for our area of the world began in 1955. In 1973, the woman said "hey, you need women's names on that list!". So began the pattern of alternating male and female names. The World Meteorological Organization comes up with the names...they have 6 year's worth and if a storm is particularly bad, it's name gets retired (just like a baseball jersey number). The names are drawn from the cultures represented in the Atlantic basin...Spanish, French and English type names. And I am not on the naming committee. Go figure!

Looking for a neat place to check out hurricanes and everything to do with meteorological, head to The John C. Freeman at 5104 Caroline Street (in the Houston Museum District). It is the only weather museum in the United States! For more info., go to wxresearch.org.

Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco is now on Dr. Toy's top 100 products of 2008. You and your friends can get your copy at www.frankandpaco.com, bestbuy.com, amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. There are so many benefits to your youngsters from early language learning. Get your copy today!!!

More to come! Enjoy the break from summer heat. It is still officially summer after all.

Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Gustav Weakening...Hanna and Ike Threatening

Gustav is now a tropical storm. More than a dozen tornadoes so far and more still possible as it spins northwestward into Texas. Hopefully it won't move too slowly. Model runs showing a slightly better scenario than before.

It was actually kind of nice in Houston today--nice overcast and northerly flow. Enjoyed the poole with daughter and her friend. Got the radish seeds and peas in the ground. Said in a previous post that the radishes would be ready around Halloween...no that would be the peas. The radishes will be ready in about 22 days.

Back to the tropics. Most models track Ike westward this week. Could get into the Gulf. Hanna which is a hurricane now will threaten the east coast late this week. Latest projection has landfall in South Carolina on Friday.

So bottom line--all those supplies you purchased for Gustav...hang onto them. Hurricane season isn't over yet! The latest a hurricane has hit hit Texas was Jerry on October 15, 1989. So, we aren't done yet. Besides, records are made to broken. Usually storms don't get to Texas later in the season (which officially ends November 30th) because of upper troughs and their associated surface cold fronts.

Now that you are relaxing a bit, relax even more by purchasing some Christmas gifts early. BIG ANNOUNCEMENT. We just found out that we won the 2008 Top 100 award designation from Dr. Toy!!! Yay! Press release will go out in a couple days. You can order your copy from www.frankandpaco.com, Bestbuy.com, Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com.

More to come! Have a great week everyone and be safe!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Gustav - Some Good News but Stay Vigilant - Tropical Depression 9 - Yikes, Here comes Ike

First of all, it looks like Gustav weakened to a Category 2 before landfall. But, as we all know from storms like Rita and maybe July's Dolly, a 2 is still a big deal. Interestingly enough, the storm started to form a better eye after landfall at 8:30 am this morning at Cocodrie, Louisiana. That is probably part of this intensity cycle I have discussed in previous blogs. Thank goodness, it wasn't on the upswing before landfall. It remains to be seen how much damage has been done to the levees.

Ongoing business with Gustav includes tornadoes and that will be a threat for at least the next 24 hours. And also look at for torrential rainfall. Depending on where you are, some good news in that the models are showing a more northward movement over the next few days. We will still have to keep an eye on the Trinity and San Jacinto watershed over the next one to two weeks.

The tropics are cooking now. Tropical Depression #9 just formed in the central Atlantic. This will become Ike and intensify to a hurricane as it moves westward. Long range models show it heading toward the Gulf. Hanna will be something the eastern seaboard deals with this week.

Some rain in the Houston area starting as early as late today. Most likely timing will be Tuesday. I'm going to put in my fall garden today and hope for some beneficial drops. I'm definitely putting in some radishes. Should be ready by Halloween.

Speaking of holidays, get those orders in for Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco, our award winning educational video for children. You can order it from www.frankandpaco.com, Bestbuy.com, amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. Early language learning has been shown to improve cognitivie performance and development, improve math and science performance, increase memory, allow acquisition of proper pronunciation, and stimulate neurological development (remember 80% occurs before age 6). Your favorite little ones will love learning with Frank and Paco the puppets and a bunch of kids their age (featured in the video).

More to come!
Be safe everyone!
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Gustav - Worries Now and Later

Gustav will make landfall over southeastern Louisiana this morning. The most immediate concern is the storm surge (10 to 14 feet) and that is happening now and the hurricane force winds. The following is some of the most immediate important information. My blog continues after the information in caps.

AT 530 AM...THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY TIDE STATION...NORTHEAST BAY GARDENE NEAR POINT A LA HACHE...HAD RISEN NEARLY 9 FEETSINCE LAST EVENING. HURRICANE GUSTAV HAS NOT MADE LANDFALL AND THETIDE LEVEL ASSOCIATED WITH THE STORM SURGE MAY INCREASE WATER LEVELSAN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 3 FEET.A POTENTIAL STORM SURGE OF 10 TO 14 FEET WILL BE POSSIBLE NEARAND TO THE RIGHT OF LOCATION OF LANDFALL. LIFE THREATENINGFLOODING IS POSSIBLE. SECTIONS OF WEST JEFFERSON...AND LOWERLAFOURCHE HURRICANE PROTECTION LEVEES COULD BE OVER TOPPED. AREASOUTSIDE OF HURRICANE PROTECTION LEVEES IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA...WILL BE SEVERELY INUNDATED.MANY RESIDENCES OF AVERAGE CONSTRUCTION IMPACTED BY THE STORMSURGE MAY BE HEAVILY DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. NUMEROUS ROADS WILL BESWAMPED. ENTIRE FLOOD PRONE COASTAL COMMUNITIES WILL BE CUTOFF BYSTORM SURGE FLOODING. SIGNIFICANT STORM SURGE FLOODING WILL MOVEWELL INLAND ESPECIALLY ALONG BAYS AND BAYOUS. A STORM SURGE OFTHIS MAGNITUDE COULD RESULT IN EXTENSIVE FLOODING AND POSES ASIGNIFICANT THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY.

The storm's eye is almost indistinguishable. Recon reports that the south side is somewhat open. That's a sign that at least as Gustav's eye nears the coast, at least we don't have a tightly wound and super healthy hurricane. Nevertheless, it is still a major hurricane as of 6:37 am central.

Looking ahead, the storm will slow dramatically over the next day or so and that is a huge concern for inland flooding. Remember inland flooding has been a one of the biggest killers in the last few decades. Incredible rainfalls can occur from slow moving, dieing tropical systems. The unofficial 24 hour record rainfall for Texas occurred with Claudette in 1979 when 43 inches fell on Alvin in 24 hours.

So, everyone in central and western Louisiana and east Texas needs to really pay attention over the next 5 to 6 days. And even after that, there will likely be river flooding.

Unlike with a storm surge, you are often safest staying in your home. During Allison in 2001, the majority of the deaths in the Houston area occurred when people ventured outside during the flooding. Many were swept away by the floodwaters.

Also, tornado watches are now in effect in parts of Louisiana. Tornadoes will be of course over the next day or so as the storm moves over land.

More to come! Also, would like to point out that the Atlantic has many developing systems right now. It's September 1st and the tropics show a lot of activity.

It's September and the holidays are going to get here quickly. Buy something fun and educational for the little ones on your list. Order our award winning DVD for teaching Spanish to kids--Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. Go to www.frankandpaco.com or order from BestBuy.com, amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com.

Be safe everyone.
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

Praying for New Orleans

Good evening all -Central pressure in Gustav was dropping today (indicating restrengthening) but it looks like the drop has leveled off a bit. And there is some evidence of a warming near the center (the eye). There is also some dry air being pulled in.

In any event, it is still a major hurricane (Category 3) and it bears repeating that Katrina was a high end Category 3 and Rita was a high end Category 2 (I'm talking about at landfall). Another tricky thing is that storms go through fluctuations in intensity and through eyewall replacement cycles. And I sure hope we don't get some sort of surprise from this one as it makes landfall early afternoon on Monday.

Of course, the first big scare is for New Orleans. With the hurricane force winds now out 70 miles from the center, there is going to be a pretty mean storm surge affecting New Orleans and it will be happening early in the day on Monday. Everyone should be praying for these folks. The actual center landfall will probably be about 40 to 60 miles west of there.What happens after that?

Well, I think the storm is going to slow down and produce a lot of rain as it tracks northwestward...probably into Texas. Remember that inland flooding has been the biggest killer from many of the most recent decades storms.

Went to the grocery store this evening. Folks are paying attention...almost all cleaned out on the water. Pats on the backs all around. Remember, you can use all kinds of containers to store up that water. I'll try to post frequently until this is over.

In the meantime, start your Christmas shopping early by going to www.frankandpaco.com, Amazon.com, Best Buy.com, or Barnes & Noble.com and purchase my award winning DVD for children called Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco. Early language learning enhances cognitive development and improves standardized scores in math and science. We have to cultivate our next hurricane trackers/forecasters now!

Be safe everyone.
Cecilia Sinclair
Wonder Weather Woman

More consistency with model runs 2 pm Sunday

They're coming into agreement now...even NGFDL. Looks like some rain on the way for parts of Texas. Mom says the sage are blooming like crazy in Bandera...they want the rain there.

Stay tuned and go to www.frankandpaco.com, Amazon, Best Buy, or Barnes & Noble to order your copy of our award winning educational DVD for children, Let's Learn Spanish with Frank & Paco.

More to come!
Cecilia Poole
Weather Wonder Woman