By Zoila Palma: Hurricane Isaias is approaching the northern Gulf Coast of the United States, with tropical storm conditions beginning along the coastline and preparations underway for potentially life-threatening storm surge and devastating winds.
At 1:00 p.m. CDT, the storm’s center was located near latitude 28.4 North and longitude 87.2 West, approximately 145 miles south of Pensacola, Florida, and 125 miles east-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Isaias was moving north-northeast at approximately 16 miles per hour, a motion expected to continue through the evening before the system turns northward on Saturday. Forecasters expected the hurricane to approach the northern Gulf Coast that afternoon and make landfall within the warning area that evening.
Data from NOAA and Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft indicated that Isaias had maximum sustained winds of approximately 120 miles per hour, with higher gusts, making it a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Although fluctuations in intensity were possible through the afternoon, the storm was expected to remain at or near major hurricane strength at landfall. Weakening was forecast to begin after landfall, with the system likely to become post-tropical by late Saturday.
Heavy rainfall was also expected across parts of the southeastern United States through the weekend. Southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend, and southwestern Georgia were forecast to receive between 4 and 8 inches of rain, with localized totals reaching 15 inches.
The post International News: Hurricane Isaias nears U.S. Gulf Coast with 120 mph winds appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: Hurricane Isaias is approaching the northern Gulf Coast of the United States, with tropical storm conditions beginning along the coastline and preparations underway for potentially life-threatening storm surge and devastating winds. At 1:00 p.m. CDT, the storm’s center was located near latitude 28.4 North and longitude 87.2 West, approximately 145 miles south
The post International News: Hurricane Isaias nears U.S. Gulf Coast with 120 mph winds appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
