Tropical Storm Gert

We're working our way through the alphabet pretty quick this year. June isn't even over and we're up to G - for Gert, which looks as if it will hit México...right on the heels of the pounding they took from Emily.

From the National Hurricane Center
AT 7 AM CDT...1200Z...THE BROAD AND POORLY-DEFINED CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM GERT WAS ESTIMATED NEAR LATITUDE 21.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 95.8 WEST OR ABOUT 155 MILES... 250 KM...EAST-SOUTHEAST OF TAMPICO MEXICO.

GERT IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 10 MPH...17 KM/HR...AND THIS MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. ON THE FORECAST TRACK...THE CENTER OF GERT IS EXPECTED TO REACH THE COASTLINE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA THIS EVENING.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH... 65 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER GUSTS. SOME STRENGTHENING IS POSSIBLE BEFORE LANDFALL.

TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS EXTEND OUTWARD UP TO 60 MILES... 95 KM FROM THE CENTER. ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1009 MB...29.80 INCHES.

TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 7 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS UP TO 10 INCHES OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN...ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS EASTERN MEXICO. THESE RAINS COULD CAUSE LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUD SLIDES...ESPECIALLY IN AREAS PREVIOUSLY AFFECTED BY HURRICANE EMILY.

Meanwhile, Franklin looks like it will be a fish storm. Hurricane or no, the beaches are still unusable here due to more red tide related fallout. See, the red tide kills fish. Sea birds eat the dead fish. Well, it seems the birds have been eating so well lately that the waters are now polluted with...you guessed it...bird shit.

Welcome to Paradise!