30 June 2010

Alex Approaching the Coast

Posted by Dan Satterfield

Hurricane Alex IR image (Courtesy if CIMMS U Wisc.)

Hurricane Alex is already producing flooding along the South Texas Coast as it nears landfall. Winds are at 90 mph in the eye wall near the center. The amount of storm surge is VERY dependent on the shape of ocean bottom and the angle the storm comes into the coast. So don’t assume that a category one storm will not produce serious flooding. It can.

Meteorologist Alan Raymond of our staff spent last night flying into Alex with the Hurricane Hunter aircraft based at Keesler AFB in Mississippi.

Alex is the first June hurricane since 1995. Most tropical storms develop after August 1st each year.

Dan

Update 6pm CDT- Alex is now a Cat Two storm with 100 mph winds.