...Dolly a little stronger...NOAA plane in the area...
a Hurricane Warning is in effect for the coast of Texas from
Brownsville to Port O'Connor. A Hurricane Warning is also in
effect for the northeast coast of Mexico from Rio San Fernando
northward to the border between Mexico and the United States.
A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected
within the warning area within the next 24 hours. Preparations to
protect life and property should be rushed to completion.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect from north of Port O'Connor to
San Luis Pass. A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm
conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24
hours.
A Tropical Storm Warning and a Hurricane Watch is in effect from La
Pesca to south of Rio San Fernando. A Hurricane Watch means that
hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area...generally
within 36 hours.
For storm information specific to your area...including possible
inland watches and warnings...please monitor products issued
by your local weather office.
At 700 am CDT...1200z...the center of Tropical Storm Dolly was
located near latitude 23.7 north...longitude 94.0 west or about 265
miles...425 km...southeast of Brownsville Texas.
Dolly has slowed down a little and is now moving toward the
west-northwest near 13 mph...20 km/hr. This general motion should
continue today with a further decrease in forward speed...followed
by a turn to the northwest on Wednesday. On this track...the
center of Dolly should be very near the western coast of the Gulf
of Mexico on Wednesday.
Data from from a NOAA plane indicate that maximum sustained winds
have increased to near 65 mph...100 km/hr...with higher gusts.
Additional strengthening is forecast...and Dolly is expected
to become a hurricane prior to landfall.
Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 160 miles...260 km
from the center.
Minimum central pressure just reported by a NOAA hurricane hunter
plane was 993 mb...29.32 inches.
Dolly is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 4 to 8
inches...with isolated amounts of 15 inches...over much of south
Texas and northeastern Mexico over the next few days.
Coastal storm surge flooding of 4 to 6 feet above normal tide
levels...along with large and dangerous battering waves...can be
expected near and to the north of where the center makes landfall.
Repeating the 700 am CDT position...23.7 N...94.0 W. Movement
toward...west-northwest near 13 mph. Maximum sustained winds...65
mph. Minimum central pressure...993 mb.
The next advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at
1000 am CDT.
$$
Forecaster Avila
