Tropical Storm Karen Projected Path – Heads Central Gulf Coast

Tropical Storm Karen will soon hit the southern Gulf of Mexico, and will ultimately pose a threat to the United States. According to the Weather Channel, (as of Thursday afternoon) hurricane watches are now in effect from Grand Isle, La., to Indian Pass, Fla. However, these watches do not include metropolitan New Orleans.

As Karen moves north toward the central Gulf Coast, significant uncertainty remains about how strong it will become and how strong it can remain. Strong wind shear is expected to hold affect northern parts of the Gulf of Mexico, and this shear may cause Karen to weaken to some degree as it approaches the U.S. mainland.

See: Tropical Storm Karen Updates

People in the watch areas should be prepared for the following potential impacts:

– Strong winds, particularly near the landfall point, although the exact location of landfall is still rather uncertain.

– Heavy rainfall of 4 inches or more and the potential for localized freshwater flooding.

– Storm surge resulting in coastal (saltwater) flooding near and to the right (east) of the eventual landfall point. Surge could reach 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels in some areas.

Here is the latest forecast path and wind speeds from the National Hurricane Center.