Tropical Storm Sally expected to intensify to Cat. 1 hurricane before landfall

Tropical Storm Sally is moving over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to strengthen as we head into the start of the work week. Sally is forecast to move northwest through the Gulf towards the north-central Gulf coast, making landfall as a category 1 hurricane early Tuesday in SE Louisiana.

Hurricane warnings have been issued for much of southeast Louisiana, and a Tropical Storm Warning extends through much of the Florida Panhandle.

Sally is expected to slow down as it nears land which may give it more time to intensify, and more time to cause flooding/surge problems. At this moment, no direct impacts are expected in Texas.

There is also a tropical disturbance over the central Gulf, but it only has a low (10%) chance of developing as it tracks to the southwest towards Mexico.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Paulette and Tropical Depression Rene continue to spin safely away from land over the Atlantic. Neither of these storms will threaten the Gulf Coast.

Paulette intensified to a category 1 hurricane Saturday evening. A hurricane warning is in effect for Bermuda.

Tropical Depression Rene is expected to weaken as it moves southwest through the Atlantic. It should die down to a remnant low on Monday.

Two other tropical storms have recently formed in the Atlantic, Teddy and Vicky, neither storm is expected to make it in to the Gulf.

Wilfred is the lone remaining name on the 2020 Atlantic hurricane list.

If (more like when) we run out of names, we will move on to using the letters of the Greek alphabet. The only time that’s happened was in the record-breaking 2005 hurricane season.

We are now in the weeks of peak hurricane activity, so make sure you stay prepared and have your hurricane preparedness plan in place.