Tropical Storm Karen in Atlantic

Tropical Storm Karen

Tropical Storm Karen formed in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico prompting tropical storm and hurricane warnings for the northern Gulf Coast.  Due to the anticipated arrival of the storm, Port of New Orleans had closed the Mississippi River.

This storm impacted two Carnival Cruise Line sailings:

Port of New Orleans authorities opted to open the Mississippi River earlier than anticipated while keeping a watch on Tropical Storm Karen, allowing both Carnival Elation and Carnival Conquest to return to port sooner than expected. Elation now will return to New Orleans around 2 p.m. Sunday. Conquest is expected to return at 1:30 p.m. Passengers onboard both ships may disembark Sunday or spend one more night onboard and disembark Monday morning.

Passengers scheduled for the next cruise onboard Elation may board between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday; passengers scheduled to sail on Conquest may board between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday.

 "Our top priority was to keep a safe distance from the storm while we waited for the river to re-open," Carnival Cruise Lines President and CEO Gerry Cahill said in a news release. "We are pleased to be able to get our ships back into New Orleans earlier than what was originally anticipated as the storm was moving towards the coastline. We apologize to our guests for the inconvenience caused by Tropical Storm Karen and we extend our appreciation to all of the officials and maritime partners in New Orleans who have worked with us throughout to manage the situation as smoothly as possible."

Tropical Storm Karen	1000 AM CDT SUN OCT 06 2013 ...KAREN DISSIPATES... ...THIS IS THE LAST ADVISORY...
WIND:	NEAR 30 MPH...45 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
WATCHES/ WARNINGS:	THERE ARE NO COASTAL WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT. INTERESTS ALONG THE NORTH-CENTRAL  GULF COAST SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR  LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
SHIP IMPACT:	CARNIVAL CONQUEST - 10/06/13 DEPARTURE The Carnival Conquest will operate a 6-day cruise, cancelling Freeport. Check-in will be on Monday from 10:00AM to 2:00PM at the Erato Street Terminal and sailing time is set for 4:00PM. CARNIVAL ELATION - 10/05/13 DEPARTURE The Carnival Elation will operate a 3 day Fun Cruise @ Sea. Check-in will be on Monday from 11:00AM to 3:00PM at the Julia Street Terminal (1350 Port of New Orleans Place) and sailing time is set for 4:00PM. Tropical Storm Karen - Update

Storm Archive         Graphics Archive

NHC ACTIVE STORMS (CLICK HERE)

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

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

  
SUMMARY OF 1000 AM CDT...1500 UTC...INFORMATION
-----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...28.1N 89.9W
ABOUT 85 MI...135 KM SW OF THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...30 MPH...45 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...E OR 90 DEGREES AT 13 MPH...20 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1009 MB...29.80 INCHES

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 30 MPH...45 KM/H...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS.

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
STORM SURGE...LOCALIZED COASTAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE ALONG PORTIONS
OF THE NORTHERN GULF COAST. FOR INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...
PLEASE SEE PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
OFFICE.
 
RAINFALL...THE REMNANTS OF KAREN ARE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE RAINFALL
ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF THE CENTRAL GULF
COAST AND SOUTHEASTERN STATES THROUGH MONDAY EVENING.

HISTORICAL DATA:

800 AM CDT THU OCT 03 2013
 
...TROPICAL STORM FORMS OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN GULF OF MEXICO...
...HURRICANE AND TROPICAL STORM WATCHES ISSUED FOR THE NORTHERN GULF
COAST...

700 PM CDT THU OCT 03 2013
 
...TROPICAL STORM KAREN HEADING TOWARD THE CENTRAL GULF OF MEXICO...

400 PM CDT FRI OCT 04 2013
 
...KAREN DISORGANIZED...
...HURRICANE WATCH DISCONTINUED... 

1000 AM CDT SAT OCT 05 2013
 
...KAREN EXPECTED TO MOVE OVER SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA TONIGHT AND
EARLY SUNDAY... 

700 PM CDT SAT OCT 05 2013
 
...KAREN STATIONARY SOUTH OF LOUISIANA......

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR...
* GRAND ISLE LOUISIANA TO THE MOUTH OF THE PEARL RIVER

400 AM CDT SUN OCT 06 2013
 
...KAREN EXPECTED TO BECOME A REMNANT LOW LATER TODAY...

Happy Hanukkah

Happy Hanukkah ! The Holiday Season has arrived. The eight-day Festival of Lights begins December 11th this year and continues through December 19th. More info....

While onboard Carnival Elation this past week, holiday decorations were hung from the railings (above) as well as the posts in the public areas. In Ensenada, the shops and street posts were also decorated.

Holiday time is a time for families. Regardless of the holiday that you celebrate, there is one common theme ... spending time together as a family to celebrate the holiday. As I walked along the decks of the ship and saw the decorations, I couldn't help but think about the ship's crew. For the most part, the crew will not be spending time with families this holiday season. They will be onboard providing service to passengers just like they do every day of the year.

We sailed out of San Diego on this cruise. In the airport, around town, and even on the ship, there was a military presence due to the various bases in the area. My thoughts about the holidays drifted to the families and service men and women who, just like the crew, will be separated from their families at this holiday time.

Whether you are together for the holidays or separated by many miles, may this be a season filled with joy and happiness. Thank you to those that serve, both on the ships and in the military - our thoughts are with you and your families during this time. Happy Holidays to All.

Greetings from Sea

I'm writing this from the internet cafe onboard Carnival Elation. The Elation sails from San Diego for a fun-filled 3 night cruise to Ensenada, Mexico. It is the perfect weekend getaway from the West Coast.

When we left San Diego, the weather there was perfect. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and the temperature was in the upper 60s - much better than the 27 degrees back home.

Last night there was the customary welcome aboard show in the main theater. The cruise director, Steve, welcomed the largest group onboard the vessel. This is the First International Cougar Cruise. They caused quite a stir in San Diego, making the local evening news. So far, they've been pretty tame.

When we boarded the ship, the crew had been putting up the holiday decorations. It is quite festive onboard with the holiday atmosphere.

Today was a sea day. It has been an overcast day, but that hasn't stopped the usual onboard fun such as the hairy chest competition. Despite the cool weather, the pool areas were filled with well-wishers for the competitors.

My favorite spot on the ship is the Serenity Pool area. This is an adult-only venue with plenty of lounge chairs and two hot tubs. If you want to relax, this is the perfect place to hang out.

Tomorrow we arrive early in Ensenada, Mexico. I'll tell you more about Ensenada in future posts. I'm off to the holiday show now featuring the Carnival Singers and Dancers and the Camp Carnival children.

Hurricane Jimena Approaches Category 5

Satellite Image Courtesy of NOAA (NESDIS) - Hurricane Jimena - August 31, 2009 - AVN Enhanced <more images>

Hurricane Jimena Grows in Strength - Heading Towards Baja

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

We continue to monitor this dangerous hurricane as it tracks toward Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and the surrounding area. Click on the following link for ongoing updates several times a day.

Monitoring Hurricane Jimena in East Pacific

Hurricane Hunter aircraft have flown through Hurricane Jimena and measured the current sustained maximum wind spead to be 150 MPH with higher gusts. It is very close to becoming a Category 5 (the highest designation on the Saffir-Simpson Scale ).

Tropical Storm - winds 39-73 mph (34-63 kt)
Category 1 - winds 74-95 mph (64-82 kt)
Category 2 - winds 96-110 mph (83-95 kt)
Category 3 - winds 111-130 mph (96-113 kt)
Category 4 - winds 131-155 mph (114-135 kt)
Category 5 - winds 156 mph and up (135+ kt)

JIMENA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 5 TO 10 INCHES OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA AND PORTIONS OF WESTERN MEXICO DURING THE NEXT 2 DAYS... WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 15 INCHES.

A DANGEROUS STORM SURGE ALONG WITH BATTERING WAVES WILL PRODUCE SIGNIFICANT COASTAL FLOODING ALONG THE BAJA CALIFORNIA PENINSULA.

Cruise Ship Itinerary Changes

As you might expect, there have been itinerary changes made to keep passengers and crew a safe distance from the hurricane's path. Carnival Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean have cruise ships in the area and have modified itineraries:
The Carnival Elation August 29 departure from San Diego will visit Catalina on Tuesday and Ensenada on Wednesday.
The Carnival Splendor August 30 departure from Long Beach will visit Catalina on Monday and Ensenada on Tuesday.
Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas August 30 departure sailed west to avoid the storm for the planned sea day, and will inform the passengers of additional changes later today as they continue to monitor the storm.

Updates: <CARNIVAL> <Royal Caribbean>

Live Cruise Ship and Ocean Liner Tracking:<Interactive tracking map> See where ships are relative to tropical storms.

Our continuing coverage of this powerful hurricane can be found on: Monitoring Hurricane Jimena in East Pacific

In addition, NHC advisories are updated via RSS feed for both Jimena and Kevin (which has now become a tropical depression).

Monitoring Hurricane Jimena in East Pacific

Chart Courtesy of NOAA: 800 AM PDT (Jimena) MON AUG 31, 2009

<more details> <click for updated chart>

Hurricane Jimena Forms in East Pacific

JIMENA IS A TROPICAL DEPRESSION

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

Hurricane season got off to a slow start, but since Mid-August, there has been plenty of activity in both the Atlantic and Pacific. In the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Danny has now broken up, but in the Pacific, we have a tropical storm that has the potential for being a major hurricane.

In Other News, Tropical Storm Kevin has now become a Tropical Depression and public advisories have been discontinued. <more details about Kevin>

As a service to my clients and my blog readers, we'll provided continual updates on tropical storms and any cruise line advisories that are posted. For convenience, RSS feeds are also added so that you can get up-to-date information between posts. <NHC Active Storms>

800 AM PDT SAT AUG 29 2009... JIMENA NOW A HURRICANE... COULD BECOME A MAJOR HURRICANE BY TOMORROW...

UPDATE: 800 AM PDT FRI SEP 04 2009... JIMENA WEAKENING OVER THE GULF OF CALIFORNIA... THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION JIMENA WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 27.7 NORTH... LONGITUDE 111.8 WEST OR ABOUT 40 MILES... NORTHEAST OF SANTA ROSALIA MEXICO...

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 30 MPH... 45 KM/HR... WITH HIGHERGUSTS. GRADUAL WEAKENING IS FORECAST... AND JIMENA IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A REMNANT LOW LATER TODAY...

JIMENA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES OVER PORTIONS OF WESTERN MEXICO AND THE CENTRAL PORTION OF THE BAJA PENINSULA DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO. ISOLATED MAXIMUM STORM-TOTAL AMOUNTS OF UP TO 30 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE...

This post will track Jimena until it is no longer tracked by the NHC.

Local Weather Statements

<more details> <click for updated chart>

<NWS - Local Weather>

<NWS - Mexico>

<Cabo San Lucas (weather.com)>

< Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (Spanish) >

<NASA Hurricane Tracking>

Cruise Ship Tropical Storm Updates:

<CARNIVAL> <Norwegian Cruise Line> <Royal Caribbean>

(Aug 30) Carnival Cruise Line Advisory:
We are closely monitoring the progress of Hurricane Jimena which is currently located about 250 miles southwest of Puerta Vallarta, Mexico.

Due to the location of the storm, we will make the following itinerary changes:

The Carnival Elation August 29 departure from San Diego will visit Catalina on Tuesday and Ensenada on Wednesday.

The Carnival Splendor August 30 departure from Long Beach will visit Catalina on Monday and Ensenada on Tuesday.

Additional information will be available later today. We will navigate our ships at a safe distance from the storm at all times.

Rest assured, we will navigate our ships at a safe distance from the storm at all times. Our number one priority is the safety and comfort of our guests and crew.

(Aug 30) Royal Caribbean International:
Mariner of the Seas which departed August 30th for Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Villarta is scheduled to be in the area of the hurricane later this week.

The ship will sail west to avoid the storm and Monday will be a sea day as planned. Royal Caribbean will decide Monday afternoon whether or not to alter the ship's itinerary based on the latest weather forecast.

Continue to monitor this post for updates on this cruise as well as the hurricane.

Live Cruise Ship and Ocean Liner Tracking:
<Interactive tracking map> See where ships are relative to tropical storms.


Cruise lines will do everything to keep passengers and crew safe. A cruise is rarely cancelled because of weather, even hurricanes. The cruise lines monitor progress of any storms both in their main offices and onboard the vessels. They work closely with the various weather services, such as NOAA and NHC, to make determinations about itinerary deviations.

Continue to watch this post, I will provide updates as conditions change. If you are on a cruise this week in the area, be sure to monitor the storm closely.