Ida Weakens, Tropical Storm Kate, Two Other Systems To Keep An Eye On, None Threaten South Florida
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Ida made landfall along the southeast coast of the Gulf Of Mexico as a strong Category 4 Hurricane on Sunday, the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.
As of Monday morning, Ida had weakened to a tropical storm and was moving north over southwestern Mississippi. Dangerous storm surge and flash flooding continue over portions of southeastern Louisiana, southern Mississippi, and southern Alabama.
The center of Ida will move farther inland over southwestern Mississippi on Monday and weaken to a depression. Ida is then forecast to move over central and northeastern Mississippi on Monday afternoon and night, and move across the Tennessee Valley on Tuesday. Ida is expected to weaken to an extra-tropical cyclone later this week as it moves towards the Mid-Atlantic.
Tropical storm winds will continue over portions of Louisiana, southern Mississippi, and southern Alabama through early Monday afternoon. Through Tuesday morning, Ida will produce additional rainfall totals of 4 to 8 with localized higher amounts possible across portions of southeast Louisiana into far southern Mississippi. Storm total rainfall accumulations of 10 to 18 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 24 inches are expected.
Heavy rain combined with storm surge has resulted in catastrophic impacts along the southeast coast of Louisiana with life-threatening flash flooding and significant river flooding continuing farther inland.
Elsewhere in the Tropics, the CBS4 Weather team is monitoring a few areas, but there are no threats to South Florida at this time.
Tropical Depression #10, located about 77 miles east-northeast of the Leeward Islands, has strengthened into Tropical Storm Kate. It will continue moving north and then gradually turn northwest by Wednesday. It is forecast to stay in the open waters of the Atlantic.
A tropical wave near the west coast of Africa is expected to move over the eastern tropical Atlantic on Monday. The National Hurricane Center said this wave has a high potential for development. Environmental conditions appear conducive for the development of a low-pressure area once the wave moves offshore and a tropical depression is likely to form by mid to late week while the system moves west-northwest at 10 to 15 mph over the Eastern Atlantic.
A broad area of low pressure is forecast to form in the southern Caribbean over the next several days. The National Hurricane Center said this system has a low potential for development over the next five days. Environmental conditions appear to be favorable for some development by the end of the week. It is expected to move west-northwest or northwest at 5 to 10 mph over the western Caribbean Sea close to the east coast of Central America.
