BATON ROUGE, La. - State officials met for a briefing at the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) Thursday morning concerning Invest 95L. The National Weather Service (NWS) provided updated information on the system. While some models indicate a more easterly track for 95L, there is still a chance it could develop and move into the Gulf of Mexico.
It is important for everyone to stay weather aware for the next few days as the movement and potential development of this system become more refined, according to GOHSEP. This week is considered the traditional peak of hurricane season and weather experts are monitoring multiple tropical threats.
Here is the 7:00 am update (Sept. 12) from the National Hurricane Center:
Satellite images indicate that the area of disturbed weather over the central and southeastern Bahamas is gradually becoming better organized while surface pressures are falling in the area. Conditions are becoming favorable for a tropical depression or a tropical storm to form within the next day or so as the system moves toward the northwest through the northwestern Bahamas and toward the Florida Peninsula at 5 to 10 mph. If this development trend continues, Potential Tropical Cyclone advisories will likely be initiated later today. This disturbance will bring heavy rainfall and gusty winds across portions of the Bahamas through Friday, especially in portions of the northwestern Bahamas affected by Hurricane Dorian. An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft is scheduled to investigate the system this afternoon, if necessary.
* Formation chance through 48 hours...high...70 percent.
* Formation chance through 5 days...high...80 percent.
Note: A second system moving across the Atlantic Ocean has a 40 percent chance of development according to National Hurricane Center updates this morning.
GOHSEP's Crisis Action Team will be activated to monitor any requests for support from parish emergency management offices. GOHSEP is coordinating with the National Weather Service in order to help provide information to state and local partners.
Find more tips on weather and preparedness on GOHSEP's Facebook and Twitter accounts. You can receive emergency alerts on most smartphones and tablets by downloading the new Alert FM App. It is free for basic service. The Get A Game Plan App is another resource available to prepare for any type of emergency. You can download the Louisiana Emergency Preparedness Guide and find other information at www.getagameplan.org.
