Tropical Storm Hanna continued to strengthen late Friday night and is expected to become the first hurricane of the season, making landfall near or south of Corpus Christi, Texas by late Saturday afternoon.
Hurricane Hunters, while briefly diverted to aid in a search and rescue off of the Louisiana Coast, eventually found deepening low pressure and flight level winds near 83 mph.
Hannah, with 65 mph surface winds was traveling to the west at 8 mph and is expected to gradually turn west-southwestward prior to landfall Saturday.
The storm is expected to intensify to a Category 1 hurricane with 75 mph winds, but could be a little stronger if the strengthening trend observed late Friday night continues.
Flooding rains of 5-10" with isolated amounts of up to 15" will be possible for portions of South Texas into Mexico this weekend.
Elsewhere in the tropics, Tropical Storm Gonzalo is expected to impact the southern Windward Islands this weekend but eventually dissipate or become an open tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea by Monday.
Farther east, a strong tropical wave, continues to exhibit the makings of the next tropical system, especially when it reaches the western portion of the Atlantic later next week.
The National Hurricane Center upped the odds of development of the Eastern Atlantic disturbance to 50% as of Friday evening.
Models have been consistent on tracking this system through the Caribbean and perhaps toward the Gulf of Mexico in about 10 days time.
The next name on the list this year will be "Isaias" (ees-ah-EE-ahs)...so start practicing your pronunciation now!
Meanwhile, here in Louisiana and Acadiana, plenty of tropical moisture left in the wake of Hanna will keep a good chance of occasional showers and thunderstorms in the forecast for the next several days.
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