Florida Braces for Tropical Storm Colin

TS Colin courtesy NHC  -   Interactive

Tropical Storm COLIN

Despite the prediction of a near-normal Atlantic Hurricane Season, the NHC is issuing advisories on the third named tropical storm for this season.   Colin formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday and has set it's sights on Florida.   Heavy rains, flooding, and rough seas are predicted for today, Monday June 6th.

Update Tuesday Morning: Colin is moving up the East Coast and is now soaking North Carolina. Some increase in strength is expected during the next 24 hours. However, Colin is also expected to lose its tropical cyclone characteristics today.

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.

NHC issuing advisories for the Atlantic on TS COLIN

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 COLIN	800 AM EDT TUE JUN 07 2016 ...COLIN BRINGING HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS TO THE OUTER BANKS OF NORTH CAROLINA...
WIND:	NEAR 50 MPH...85 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS
WATCHES/ WARNINGS:	SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT... A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for... * Surf City to Oregon Inlet North Carolina
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 

RAINFALL: Colin is expected to produce additional rainfall amounts
of 1 to 3 inches across eastern North Carolina and central Florida
through today.

STORM SURGE: The combination of a storm surge and the tide will
cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising
waters.  The water could reach the following heights above ground if
the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide...

Apalachicola to Naples Florida...1 to 2 ft.

Localized coastal flooding and dangerous surf are possible along the
Atlantic coast of North Carolina within the tropical storm warning
area.

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast.
Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge
and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances.  For
information specific to your area, please see products issued by
your local National Weather Service forecast office.

WIND: Tropical storm conditions could occur over portions of the
warning area this morning.

TORNADOES: A tornado or two will remain possible across parts of
the coastal Carolinas today.

Historical Notes:

1000 AM CDT SUN JUN 05 2016

...TROPICAL DEPRESSION FORMS OVER THE SOUTHERN GULF OF MEXICO...

100 PM CDT SUN JUN 05 2016

...TROPICAL DEPRESSION MOVING NORTHWARD OVER THE SOUTH-CENTRAL
GULF...
...HEAVY RAINS SPREADING OVER WESTERN CUBA... 

430 PM CDT SUN JUN 05 2016

...DEPRESSION STRENGTHENS TO A TROPICAL STORM... 

1000 PM CDT SUN JUN 05 2016

...NEW TROPICAL STORM WARNING ISSUED FOR THE ATLANTIC COAST... 

700 AM CDT MON JUN 06 2016

...RAINS FROM COLIN SPREADING OVER THE FLORIDA WEST COAST...

1000 AM CDT MON JUN 06 2016

...RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS BEGINNING TO REACH THE WEST COAST OF
FLORIDA... 

1100 PM EDT MON JUN 06 2016

...COLIN ABOUT TO MAKE LANDFALL IN THE BIG BEND AREA OF FLORIDA... 

500 AM EDT TUE JUN 07 2016

...CENTER OF COLIN MOVING INTO THE ATLANTIC EAST OF THE GEORGIA
COAST...

Tropical Storm Bill Makes Landfall

Other images: 5-Day track off – 3-Day track off

Tropical Storm

The second named storm for the Atlantic Season  Bill formed in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday and was expected to make landfall in the warning area along the Texas coast Tuesday morning and move inland over south-central Texas Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night.  Tropical Storm Bill has weakened since making landfall today.

The NHC has issued its final advisory on this system. Public Advisories from the Weather Prediction Center will provide updates as long as the system remains a flood threat.

WPC issuing advisories on BILL

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.

TS Bill	Additional weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and Bill is expected to become a tropical depression by Wednesday morning.
WIND:	near 45 mph (70 km/h) with higher gusts
WATCHES/ WARNINGS:	A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for... * Port Aransas to San Luis Pass Texas
SHIP IMPACT:	NO IMPACT REPORTED AT THIS TIME

        A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are
expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are
possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
Storm Archive       Graphics Archive

NHC ACTIVE STORMS (CLICK HERE)

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

RAINFALL:  Bill is expected to produce total rain accumulations of
4 to 8 inches over eastern Texas and eastern Oklahoma and 2 to 4
inches over western Arkansas and southern Missouri, with possible
isolated maximum amounts of 12 inches in eastern Texas.

WIND:  Tropical storm conditions are occurring within the warning
area to the northeast and east of the center.

STORM SURGE:  The combination of a storm surge and the tide will
cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising
waters.  The water could reach the following heights above ground if
the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide...

Upper Texas and Western Louisiana coasts...1 to 2 feet

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to
the right of the center.  Surge-related flooding depends on the
relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary
greatly over short distances. For information specific to your area,
please see products issued by your local National Weather Service
forecast office.

TORNADOES:  A few tornadoes may occur over parts of southeast and
east central Texas and western Louisiana tonight through early
Wednesday.

HISTORICAL NOTES

1000 PM CDT MON JUN 15 2015

...TROPICAL STORM WARNING ISSUED AS TROPICAL STORM BILL FORMS...
...EXPECTED TO BRING HEAVY RAINFALL TO PORTIONS OF EASTERN TEXAS...

700 PM CDT TUE JUN 16 2015

...BILL MOVING FARTHER INLAND OVER TEXAS...

Cristina is 2nd East Pacific Hurricane This Season

Hurricane CRISTINA

The 2014 East Pacific Hurricane Season, which officially started on May 15th, continues with the third storm developing into a Hurricane.   Tropical Depression 3E formed Monday southwest of Mexico and developed into a tropical storm that same evening.  No warnings were issued to date but heavy rains, swells, and possible rip currents are expected in the area.

With 2014's Hurricanes Amanda and Cristina reaching category 4 status, it's the first time there have been two category 4 hurricanes through June in the eastern North Pacific basin since the beginning of the satellite era in 1966.

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.

Hurricane CRISTINA	800 AM PDT FRI JUN 13 2014 ...CRISTINA A LITTLE WEAKER...
WIND:	NEAR 100 MPH...155 KM/H... WITH HIGHER GUSTS.
WATCHES/ WARNINGS:	THERE ARE NO COASTAL WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT
SHIP IMPACT:	NO CRUISE SHIPS IMPACTED

     
Storm Archive       Graphics Archive

NHC ACTIVE STORMS (CLICK HERE)

Real-Time Cruise Ship Tracking

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANES (CLICK HERE)

HISTORICAL DATA:

200 AM PDT WED JUN 11 2014

...CRISTINA STRENGTHENS INTO A HURRICANE...

800 PM PDT WED JUN 11 2014

 ...CRISTINA STRENGTHENS AND HAS 100 MPH WINDS... 

200 AM PDT THU JUN 12 2014

...CRISTINA RAPIDLY INTENSIFIES INTO A CATEGORY THREE HURRICANE...

530 AM PDT THU JUN 12 2014

...CRISTINA REACHES CATEGORY 4 STRENGTH... 

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND

SURF...SWELLS GENERATED BY CRISTINA ARE AFFECTING PORTIONS OF THE
SOUTHWESTERN COAST OF MEXICO. THESE SWELLS SHOULD BEGIN TO SUBSIDE
LATER TODAY. PLEASE CONSULT PRODUCTS FROM YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.
NEAR 75 MPH...120 KM/H...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS

River Cruise Companies Praying for Rain

Christmas Markets 

on Rhine & Danube Rivers

This is a popular time of year for river cruising along the Rhine and Danube Rivers in Europe.   Passengers experience the joy and magic of the holiday season as they cruise along Europe’s majestic waterways during this most festive time of year.

River Water Levels Low

In this picture you see a river cruise ship preparing to pass under one of the many bridges of Europe.   River vessels are designed to navigate the narrow waterways and have the ability to lower any protruding portion of the ship, the bridge for example, so that it can pass safely under bridges.   Currently the water levels of many rivers in Europe are quite low providing a completely different challenge for operators.

Praying for Rain

Due to the unseasonably low water levels, some passengers have had to switch ships halfway through their cruise; others found themselves "cruising by bus" as rivers became impassable. The situation has passengers and tour operators praying for rain so that the remaining cruise itineraries before Christmas can operate as scheduled.  Those prayers might be answered as the forecast calls for rain in the coming week and water levels should start to rise.

Current Situation

AMAWATERWAYS

Operating as scheduled according to their website

Avalon Waterways

Avalon Panorama on the Danube has not been impacted

Unwiorld 

S.S. Antoinette  December 7 voyage began the river cruise in Basel aboard River Princess and passengers  will transfer to S.S. Antoinette in Strasbourg on December 9 for the remainder of the cruise. 

Viking River Cruises

Last week's cruises switched to hotel / bus around Budapest;  

Viking Legend and Viking Prestige passengers will switch ships between Regensburg and Passau/Melk.;

Rhine cruises will have to swap to bus tours between Heidelberg and Basel. 

Conditions are improving and next week's cruises should need fewer alterations if any.

Just as in Hurricane season, the cruise lines monitor the situation and make adjustments in the interest of safety for passengers, crews, and ships.  In many cases, compensation is provided for changes, despite the fact that the situation is really totally out of the cruise line's control.  Cruise lines are communicating directly with impacted passengers and their agents.

Holiday Market Cruising
 
Despite the challenges that are present this year, the experience is still great.  Imagine walking through town squares glowing with thousands of lights,  smelling freshly baked gingerbread and other delights. Picture rows of wooden stands filled to the brim with hand-blown glass ornaments, handcrafted toys, and nutcrackers of all different shapes and sizes. Friendly shopkeepers help you select that special gift for someone back home.

You'll discover the holiday traditions and experience how the Europeans have been celebrating the yuletide seasons for centuries.  All your senses will be engaged as you round out your experience with the merry sounds of Christmas carolers singing joyfully in their native tongues.

The Holiday Market cruising season is drawing to a close quickly this year, but why not plan a trip for next year.  We'd be happy to help you decide which river cruise meets your wants and pocket book.