GulfStorm.net

Most everyone has heard of the cave in alongside I-65 near Priceville. The Alabama DOT has been detouring northbound traffic around the collapse for a week and there are some signs that the work may be progressing well enough to reopen one northbound lane within 2 to 5 days, weather permitting. The heavy rains in the area have also created a landslide less than 200 feet from the sinkhole and that is also creating issues for road workers and drivers alike.

Anyone heading to the Huntsville area or to Tennessee should expect delays because of the detour.

Northbound vehicles must exit at mile markers 325 or 328. Highway 31 is the primary northbound detour route west of I-65. Please use caution if you are in that area.

UPDATE:

At 6:30 PM, Friday, March 26, ALDOT reopened the stretch of Interstate 65 that had been closed since March 17 because of a very large sink hole in the highway right of way. ALDOT officials had detoured northbound I-65 traffic onto Highway 31 for roughly 10 days and this caused frequent backup’s and significant delays for northbound Interstate travelers.

Officials have a concrete barrier in place at the location as well as a lane shift and a reduced speed limit in that area. The ALDOT engineers are also watching a depression close to the first one as well as a potential landslide area roughly 200 feet from the original sink hole.

Heavy rains in the area several days before the incident took place contributed to the problem as well as more heavy rains preventing repair work for several days after the incident.

Friends – Let me just mention, if you do not already know, that a significant cold front has moved over the deep south of the US. This will bring sub-freezing temperatures to MANY areas of the south that do not normally see freezing temperatures this time of year.

Areas along the Gulf Coast States from east central Texas to north central Florida are under various cold weather watches and warnings.

Reminder – PLEASE do not use open flame auxilliary heat sources inside your residences… carbon monoxide from open flames can kill.

Please use the interactive map in the link below for information in your area… Take care and be safe.

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/largemap.php

==================================================

“THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL ADVISORY. These updates and advisories are based upon information from our own computer models, NOAA, Local Weather Data Centers, deep water Buoy Data, and other publicly available sources. FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR PROPERTY AND PERSON, please refer to your Local, State, and Federal Authority updates for Official Advisories and Orders. For up to the minute advisories and official updates, it is essential that you monitor your local Emergency Government, NOAA and Local Media Broadcasts. Please do not make personal safety decisions based upon information presented here in this Unofficial Advisory

==================================================

November 30, 2009 – This is the official end of the 2009 Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season.

We thank everyone who has followed our postings this year and we sincerely hope that the 2010 season, starting June 01, 2010, will be as mild as this season has been.

Thank you… and we’ll be back with hurricane preparedness information once again in May 2010.

Between now and June 01, 2010 – if any regional weather issues develop that would be of interest to the residents of Baldwin, Mobile and Escambia Counties, we will bring you any important details as needed.

While it remains to early to get a good feel on the destination of Ida, early indicators suggests that areas from Mobile County, Baldwin County, and Escambia County (FL) will likely face tropical storm to hurricane conditions with the next 72 hours.

HURRICANE IDA is now near the Yucatan Penninsula of Mexico moving generally north at 12 miles per hour into the Gulf of Mexico. This storm is currently at Category 1 with sustained winds at 90+ MPH and will strengthen to Category 2 later Sunday, Nov. 08. The storm will encounter an upper level system which may keep it from strengthening further, but we are carefully watching this system for interaction with Hurricane Ida. Persons from the Texas – Louisiana border to southwestern Florida should monitor the progress of this storm very carefully. There are many variables which could affect this Hurricane’s path and intensity over the next 3 days and the link below can be used for hour by hour updating. Listen carefully to your local Weather Office and Emergency Operations Center advisories if you are in coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

For official updates, please refer to:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

==================================================

“THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL ADVISORY. These updates and advisories are based upon information from our own computer models, NOAA, Local Weather Data Centers, deep water Buoy Data, and other publicly available sources. FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR PROPERTY AND PERSON, please refer to your Local, State, and Federal Authority updates for Official Advisories and Orders. For up to the minute advisories and official updates, it is essential that you monitor your local Emergency Government, NOAA and Local Media Broadcasts. Please do not make personal safety decisions based upon information presented here in this Unofficial Advisory.”

Tropical Storm Ida formed out of a tropical depression in the western Caribbean within the past 15 hours. This storm developed quickly and is near Hurrican force, Category 1 at this time. The storm is affecting the Central America east coast with significant rains and wind. This will cause mudslides throughout the mountainous areas, especially in Nicaragua. The storm will weaken as it brushes the coastline and will probably enter the southern Gulf of Mexico near the Yucatan Penninsula Monday or Tuesday as a tropical depression or weak tropical storm. There is a chance that the storm will re-form and strengthen again in 5 to 7 days once it gets into the warm Gulf of Mexico waters. Persons along the Gulf Coast of the USA should watch this storm’s progress.

Our next unofficial update will take place if and when this storm shows signs of being a threat to the Gulf Coast states.

For official updates, please refer to:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

==================================================

“THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL ADVISORY. These updates and advisories are based upon information from our own computer models, NOAA, Local Weather Data Centers, deep water Buoy Data, and other publicly available sources. FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR PROPERTY AND PERSON, please refer to your Local, State, and Federal Authority updates for Official Advisories and Orders. For up to the minute advisories and official updates, it is essential that you monitor your local Emergency Government, NOAA and Local Media Broadcasts. Please do not make personal safety decisions based upon information presented here in this Unofficial Advisory.”

Tropical Storms Grace and Henri are not worth mentioning, but since the National Hurricane Center actually named these, we have an obligation to mention them.

Neither as been or will be a threat to land masses as anything more than a wide area of thunderstorms. Grace is already over eastern Europe and Henri is east of the Leeward Islands where it is expected to weaken over the next 24 hours into a low pressure area.

For official updates, please refer to:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

==================================================
“THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL ADVISORY. These updates and advisories are based upon information from our own computer models, NOAA, Local Weather Data Centers, deep water Buoy Data, and other publicly available sources. FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR PROPERTY AND PERSON, please refer to your Local, State, and Federal Authority updates for Official Advisories and Orders. For up to the minute advisories and official updates, it is essential that you monitor your local Emergency Government, NOAA and Local Media Broadcasts. Please do not make personal safety decisions based upon information presented here in this Unofficial Advisory.”

The 2009 Tropical Storm Season in the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico has been one of the calmest seasons, thus far, on record. This is due to several factors including a mild El Nino (warmer than normal) surface water situation in the central and western Pacific which affects storm tracks in the Altantic basin.

We will continue to monitor each development area and post details as needed, once the storms are officially named by the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Thank you for your support.

Tropical Storm Fred Initial posting Tuesday, September 08, 2009. Tropical Storm Fred is located southwest of the Azores and moving generally westerly at 18 miles per hour. The conditions at this time are favorable for intensification, but in 3 to 5 days, this storm will be entering an area which may lessen it’s intensity and change it’s track. We are carefully watching the progress of this Tropical Storm and will post updates as needed.

For official updates, please refer to:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

==================================================

“THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL ADVISORY. These updates and advisories are based upon information from our own computer models, NOAA, Local Weather Data Centers, deep water Buoy Data, and other publicly available sources. FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR PROPERTY AND PERSON, please refer to your Local, State, and Federal Authority updates for Official Advisories and Orders. For up to the minute advisories and official updates, it is essential that you monitor your local Emergency Government, NOAA and Local Media Broadcasts. Please do not make personal safety decisions based upon information presented here in this Unofficial Advisory.”

==================================================