Weak tropical storm rainmaker CLAUDETTE in Louisiana landfall.
CLAUDETTE clocked up the third storm of the 2021 season with an upgrade to tropical storm strength almost at the moment of landfall close to Grand Isle, Louisiana some 45 miles south-sou’west of New Orleans. This was the cyclone’s peak with a hurricane severity index rating of just 3 (2 for size and 1 for intensity) with winds topping 50 knots and a windfield radius of 190 miles, principally to the east along the coast towards the Florida panhandle. This has been a significant rainmaker with up to 10 inches in places with isolated areas of flash flooding. CLAUDETTE is losing shape now as weakens crossing the south-eastern United States, but may still have some capacity to reform when it crosses the coast of North Carolina on Monday.
Disturbance Nine is now midway between the Cape Verde Islands and the Caribbean headed west at 13 knots. This has some meaningful shape to it today with scattered squalls radiating from its nominal centre. Conditions ahead for development have become marginally favourable and this may yet produce shower and thunderstorm activity over the Lesser Antilles by the middle of the coming week.
Heavy rainfall ashore along the path of CLAUDETTE otherwise stand easy.
Image Reuters/H Hefner