Hermine Aims for Florida and East Coast

TS Hermine    Courtesy NHC                Interactive

Latest News from National Hurricane Center:

• NHC issuing advisories for the Atlantic on Hurricane GASTON and TS HERMINE
• CPHC issuing advisories for the Central Pacific on MADELINE and LESTER
• NHC director Rick Knabb will provide a live update on Hermine at 2:30pm EDT. Watch it live here or on Twitter.

Tropical Storm HERMINE

We are now within the "season with hurricane season".  During this eight week period, we typically see the most activity of the entire hurricane season.   It looks like this year will not be an exception to the norm.   See NOAA: The peak of the hurricane season – why now? for more insight into why.

According to Hurricane Hunter reports, the extent of tropical-storm-force winds has increased significantly in the eastern semicircle.  This has prompted extended tropical storm warnings for Florida and the east coast of the United States.

One of the largest threats from tropical cyclones is Storm Surge.  During Hurricane Preparedness Week, we wrote about this and all threats in our mini series.  2016 Hurricane Preparedness - Storm Surge

The NHC has issued the following interactive graphic for HERMINE

Prototype Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic*

As of this initial posting, the cruise lines have not made any itinerary changes, but they will undoubtedly be keeping a watchful eye on the storm as it develops.

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

Full coverage of this, and all tropical storms, can be found on our Hurricane Zone page.   There are RSS feeds from the National Hurricane Center posted there giving you up to the minute information.   For storms that impact cruises, we will bring you information on those details as well.  Please bookmark that page for further reference during the Hurricane Season which runs now through November 30th.

Tropical Storm HERMINE	1200 PM CDT THU SEP 01 2016 ...TROPICAL STORM WARNING EXTENDED SOUTHWARD ALONG  FLORIDA GULF AND ATLANTIC COASTS... ...LIFE-THREATENING SURGE AND FLOODING RAINS EXPECTED...
WIND:	NEAR 70 mph (110 km/h)... WITH HIGHER GUSTS
WATCHES/ WARNINGS:	SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT... A Hurricane Warning is in effect for... * Suwannee River to Mexico Beach A Hurricane Watch is in effect for... * Anclote River to Suwannee River * West of Mexico Beach to the Walton/Bay County line A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for... * Englewood to Suwannee River * West of Mexico Beach to the Walton/Bay County line * Flagler/Volusia County line to Surf City A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for... * North of Surf City to Oregon Inlet, including Pamlico Sound
SHIP IMPACT:	No Cruise Ship Impact Reported

     
Storm Archive       Graphics Archive

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE WARNING AREA...IN THIS CASE WITHIN
THE NEXT 12 TO 24 HOURS.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE
POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA...IN THIS CASE WITHIN 24 TO 36
HOURS.

NHC ACTIVE STORMS (CLICK HERE)

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND 

WIND:  Hurricane conditions are expected to reach the coast
within the warning area beginning tonight.  Winds are expected to
first reach tropical storm strength by this afternoon, making
outside preparations difficult or dangerous.  Preparations to
protect life and property should be rushed to completion.  Tropical
storm conditions are expected to begin within the warning area along
the Atlantic coast on Friday, and spread northward through Friday
evening.  Tropical storm conditions are possible in the tropical
storm watch area by Friday night and Saturday.

STORM SURGE:  The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the
tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by
rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.  There is a danger
of life-threatening inundation within the next 12 to 24 hours along
the Gulf coast of Florida from Indian Pass to Longboat Key.  For a
depiction of areas at risk, please see the Prototype National
Weather Service Storm Surge Watch/Warning Graphic.  Persons located
within these areas should take all necessary actions to protect life
and property from rising water.  Promptly follow any instructions,
including evacuation orders, from local officials.

The water could reach the following heights above ground if the
peak surge occurs at the time of high tide...

Destin to Indian Pass...1 to 3 feet
Indian Pass to Ochlockonee River...4 to 7 feet
Ochlockonee River to Keaton Beach...5 to 8 feet
Keaton Beach to Chassahowitzka...4 to 7 feet
Chassahowitzka to Longboat Key...including Tampa Bay...2 to 4 feet
Longboat Key to Bonita Beach...1 to 3 feet
Florida-Georgia line to Cape Fear...1 to 3 feet

The Prototype National Weather Service Storm Surge Watch/Warning
Graphic is a depiction of areas that would qualify for inclusion
under a storm surge watch or warning currently under development by
the National Weather Service and planned for operational use in
2017.  This prototype graphic is available at
www.hurricanes.gov/graphics_at4.shtml?wsurge

RAINFALL:  Hermine is expected to produce storm total rainfall
accumulations of 5 to 10 inches over portions of northwest Florida
and southern Georgia through Friday, with possible isolated maximum
amounts of 20 inches.  On Friday and Saturday, Hermine is expected
to produce totals of 4 to 8 inches with isolated maximum amounts of
10 inches possible across portions of eastern Georgia, South
Carolina, and eastern North Carolina through Saturday.  These rains
may cause life-threatening flash flooding.

TORNADOES:  A few tornadoes are possible this afternoon into Friday
morning over north Florida and southeast Georgia.  The tornado risk
will continue across the eastern Carolinas from Friday morning into
Friday night.

Historical Notes:

500 PM EDT SUN AUG 28 2016

...NEW TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMS IN THE FLORIDA STRAITS...
...EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO...

500 PM EDT MON AUG 29 2016

...DEPRESSION EXPECTED TO BECOME A TROPICAL STORM BY TUESDAY... 

1000 AM CDT TUE AUG 30 2016

...TORRENTIAL RAINS CONTINUE OVER WESTERN CUBA...
...TROPICAL STORM WATCH LIKELY TO BE ISSUED FOR A PORTION OF THE
FLORIDA GULF COAST LATER TODAY... 

400 PM CDT TUE AUG 30 2016

...HURRICANE AND TROPICAL STORM WATCHES ISSUED FOR PORTIONS OF
FLORIDA GULF COAST... 

400 AM CDT WED AUG 31 2016

...TROPICAL STORM WARNING ISSUED FOR A PORTION OF THE FLORIDA GULF
COAST... 

100 PM CDT WED AUG 31 2016

...NOAA HURRICANE HUNTERS FIND THAT THE DEPRESSION HAS
STRENGTHENED INTO A TROPICAL STORM...

700 PM CDT WED AUG 31 2016

...HERMINE STRENGTHENS SOME WHILE IT HEADS TOWARD THE FLORIDA GULF
COAST... 

1000 AM CDT THU SEP 01 2016

...HERMINE HEADING FOR THE NORTH FLORIDA GULF COAST...
...LIFE-THREATENING SURGE AND FLOODING RAINS EXPECTED...