Possible Tropical Development
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - There is a Tropical Troublemaker trying to organize in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday morning. The hurricane hunters are flying through and investigating to see if there is a more defined low level circulation.
This area has a high chance of being a named system in the next 36-48 hours, and it is sitting over very warm water in the Gulf of Mexico. Current sea surface temps are between 82 degrees and 83 degrees.
Even if we don't have a named system, we will have a tropical disturbance move through Texas in the next two days. As of now (10:30 a.m. on Monday) this tropical wave is moving northwest at 15 mph.
Here is the latest track of the forecast models for the potential of Tropical Storm Bill, if it does form. My latest thinking is that we will see the wave/Tropical Depression/Tropical Storm move onshore between 3:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. between Port Aransas and Port Lavaca. Rain will work onshore before the "center" approaches landfall and we could see rain spread into North Texas as soon as later Monday night.
All of the forecast models have been trending a little further west, which puts us in a corridor for very heavy rain. Some forecast models are calling for between 6 inches and 8 inches of rain.
This all depends on the exact track of what could be a tropical low or named storm. Flooding concerns are high with this system as it tracks near North Texas. Here is the timing on the potential rain.
By 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, the center could be just north of Austin. However, we will already see rounds of heavy storms rotate into North Texas.
Concerns increase Tuesday night with the center tracking closer to the Metroplex. Heavy rain, strong storms and tornado potential increases Tuesday night into early Wednesday.
Bottom line, we are monitoring this Tropical Development closely. This could be a dangerous system with flooding being the biggest concern. Remember: turn around, don't drown.