Tropical Storm Erin forms in Gulf of Mexico
Wed Aug 15, 2007 12:24PM EDT
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tropical Depression 5 strengthened into Tropical Storm Erin in the Gulf of Mexico, threatening oil and gas facilities off the south Texas coast, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Wednesday.
The NHC expects Erin to hit the Texas coast on Thursday.
Meanwhile, forecasters expected Tropical Storm Dean in the Atlantic Ocean to strengthen into a hurricane over the next day or so, cross the Lesser Antilles Friday, and intensify to near Category 3 over the next five days as it builds strength in the Caribbean Sea.
The energy market was watching both storms because either could disrupt U.S. oil and natural gas production and refining in the Gulf of Mexico. Commodities traders also track tropical storms because they can damage crops in Florida and along the Gulf Coast.
The NHC issued a tropical storm warning for the Texas Coast from Freeport southward. A tropical storm warning means the NHC expects such a storm in that area within the next 24 hours.
The center of Erin was about 250 miles east of Brownsville, Texas and about 290 miles east-northeast of La Pesca, Mexico, according to an NHC advisory at 11 a.m. EDT
(1500 GMT).
Erin is moving west-northwest at nearly 14 miles per hour, with maximum sustained winds over 35 mph. Tropical storms have winds of 35-63 mph.
The NHC said it would issue another advisory on Erin within the hour.
DEAN
Tropical Storm Dean strengthened over the central Atlantic Ocean.
In an advisory at 11 a.m., the NHC said the storm was located about 1,045 miles east of the Lesser Antilles, which extend south from the Virgin Islands to Trinidad and Tobago.
Dean was moving west near 20 mph with maximum sustained winds near 60 mph.
The NHC will issue another advisory on Dean at 5 p.m.
The NHC forecast Dean will strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane (winds 74-95 mph) over the next 36 hours, a Category 2 hurricane (winds 96-110 mph) in about three days and near Category 3 strength (winds 96-113 mph) in about five days.
Most of the weather models show the storm crossing the Lesser Antilles on Friday and entering the Caribbean where it will strengthen before possibly heading into the Gulf of Mexico next week.
Tropical Storm Erin forms in Gulf of Mexico
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