Uploaded July 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A tropical disturbance is in the northern Gulf. It will be investigated by hurricane hunter aircraft today for detail. It will almost certainly become a tropical depression later today or tomorrow, and then very likely become a tropical storm tomorrow or Friday. The timing of this and locations still are not certain. Dangerous surf and heavy rain will be the first impacts, however, the heaviest rain amounts will mostly be offshore. How much rain falls on land will depend on the track and speed. Flooding rain may be the largest threat on land.
A landfall looks most likely somewhere along the Louisiana coast but the impact will extend 100’s of miles outward in rain and possibly wind too. Rip currents will become dangerous. If the system becomes a strong tropical storm, then some tornadoes become possible in feeder bands. Expect watches and then warnings to be issued by the National Hurricane Center to pinpoint where the landfall will be, as that becomes more clear.
Landfall will be controlled by how far south this dips in the Gulf. The farther south it goes, the longer it stays over water. If this becomes a tropical storm, the name would be Barry. It is possible that watches would be issued for this before it even forms. In that case, it would be known as a "potential" tropical storm.
Everyone on the Gulf Coast should have a hurricane season plan in place, now. Don’t wait for a surprise that puts you in a vulnerable position. Remember that forecasts are updated several times per day as new data arrives so expect changes in projections. Always prepare for the worst case but hope for the best.
Meteorologist Alan Sealls
Facebook: AlanSeallsWeather
Twitter: @AlanSealls
Instagram: @AlanSealls
Web: alansealls.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Sealls
Educational science and videos for k-12 and even college level by subscription here weatherthings.com/TeacherVideos
A tropical disturbance is in the northern Gulf. It will be investigated by hurricane hunter aircraft today for detail. It will almost certainly become a tropical depression later today or tomorrow, and then very likely become a tropical storm tomorrow or Friday. The timing of this and locations still are not certain. Dangerous surf and heavy rain will be the first impacts, however, the heaviest rain amounts will mostly be offshore. How much rain falls on land will depend on the track and speed. Flooding rain may be the largest threat on land.
A landfall looks most likely somewhere along the Louisiana coast but the impact will extend 100’s of miles outward in rain and possibly wind too. Rip currents will become dangerous. If the system becomes a strong tropical storm, then some tornadoes become possible in feeder bands. Expect watches and then warnings to be issued by the National Hurricane Center to pinpoint where the landfall will be, as that becomes more clear.
Landfall will be controlled by how far south this dips in the Gulf. The farther south it goes, the longer it stays over water. If this becomes a tropical storm, the name would be Barry. It is possible that watches would be issued for this before it even forms. In that case, it would be known as a "potential" tropical storm.
Everyone on the Gulf Coast should have a hurricane season plan in place, now. Don’t wait for a surprise that puts you in a vulnerable position. Remember that forecasts are updated several times per day as new data arrives so expect changes in projections. Always prepare for the worst case but hope for the best.
Meteorologist Alan Sealls
Facebook: AlanSeallsWeather
Twitter: @AlanSealls
Instagram: @AlanSealls
Web: alansealls.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Sealls
Educational science and videos for k-12 and even college level by subscription here weatherthings.com/TeacherVideos
