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The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that Tropical Storm Sally will cause flash flooding in South Florida on Monday, before continuing its path of destruction along the Gulf Coast. The NHC has forecast gusty winds of up to 80 mph that will unleash a hurricane next week, with a life-threatening warning issued in Louisiana and the Alabama coast.
The NHC’s most recent forecast reads: “The depression is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane early next week as it moves through the northeast Gulf of Mexico.
“There is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surges and dangerous hurricane force winds from southeastern Louisiana to the Alabama coast.”
Up to six inches (15 cm) of rain is expected along the west coast of Florida to Tampa.
Jim Foerster, chief meteorologist at DTN, an energy, agriculture and climate data provider, added that the latest low-pressure system can cause storm surge of up to 12 feet (4.2 meters) offshore.
Storm Sally already began its path of destruction this weekend with rising 40 mph winds that forced several oil companies to evacuate across the Gulf of Mexico.
The NHC says the meteorological cyclone system will begin to strengthen over the warm waters of the Atlantic before moving inland towards the Gulf Coast.
The NHC says: “As the system will traverse very warm waters and a humid air mass with moderate vertical shear over the next few days, steady strengthening is anticipated.
“The cyclone will likely become a hurricane in 2-3 days, although an increase in vertical shear could slow the rate of intensification in the northern Gulf of Mexico.”
DTN Forecast Mr. Foerster explained that it is difficult to pin down the exact location of where the storm could hit as the weather system can change its trajectory.
He said: “Slow storms are tricky.
“They don’t explode in intensity, but it is difficult to get to the exact ground.”
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The latest weather front is not expected to approach the size or intensity of Hurricane Laura in August.
Laura tore through the Gulf of Mexico three weeks ago and became a Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds.
The storm shut down hundreds of offshore oil facilities and left Louisiana and Texas residents without power for weeks.
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