NATE IS NEXT: No let up on weather

06 OCT 2017: Tropical Storm Nate was blamed Thursday for at least 22 deaths across Central America as it dumped rain across the region on a path that would carry it toward a potential landfall on the US Gulf Coast as a hurricane over the weekend.

The US National Hurricane Center said the storm could cause dangerous flooding by dumping as much as 15 to 20 inches (38 to 50 cm) of rain as it moved over Honduras, with higher accumulations in a few places.

Nicaragua

In Nicaragua, Nate’s arrival followed two weeks of near-constant rain that had left the ground saturated and rivers swollen. Authorities placed the whole country on alert and warned of flooding and landslides.

Nicaragua’s vice-president and spokesperson, Rosario Murillo, said that at least 15 people had died in that country due to the storm. She didn’t give details on all the deaths, but said two women and a man who worked for the Health Ministry were swept away by a flooded canal in the central municipality of Juigalpa.

The government closed schools nationwide.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Organism blamed seven deaths in that country on the storm and said 15 people were missing. Flooding drove 5,000 residents into emergency shelters.

The storm was centred about 40 miles (65 kilometres) west-southwest of Puerto Lempira, Honduras and was moving north-northwest near 10 mph (17 kph).

The forecast track showed the storm could brush across the tip of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula late Friday night and then hit the US Gulf Coast as a hurricane by Sunday morning. Forecasters said hurricane conditions were possible in Mexico Friday night.

In the Pacific, former Tropical Storm Ramon dissipated off the southwestern coast of Mexico.

Louisiana

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has declared a state of emergency as his state prepares for a direct hit from Tropical Storm Nate, possibly as a hurricane. The governor said 1,300 National Guard troops are being mobilized, with 15 headed to New Orleans to monitor the fragile pumping system there.

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s New Orleans office said in a news release that as of midday Thursday, six production platforms, out of the 737 manned platforms in the Gulf, had been evacuated. No drilling rigs were evacuated, but one movable rig was taken out of the storm’s path.

The agency estimated less than 15 percent of the current oil production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut-in, which equates to 254,607 barrels of oil per day.

With forecasts projecting landfall in southeast Louisiana Sunday morning, Edwards urged residents to ready for rainfall, storm surge and severe winds; and to be where they intend to hunker down by “dark on Saturday.”

Louisiana’s governor says Nate is forecast to move quickly, rather than stall, and drop tremendous amounts of rain on the state.

Steps were being taken to bolster the city’s pump and drainage system that revealed weaknesses during summer flash floods. State officials hope they won’t run into problems with pumps not being able to handle the water.

Edwards warned, however, against underestimating the storm.

Residents in part of Louisiana’s coastal St. Bernard Parish (east of New Orleans) have been ordered to evacuate.

The evacuation for areas outside of the parish levee system began at 4 pm yesterday.

Earlier Thursday, a voluntary evacuation was called in the barrier island town of Grand Isle south of New Orleans.

New Orleans officials outlined steps to bolster the city’s pump and drainage system. Weaknesses in that system were revealed during summer flash floods.

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s New Orleans office said in a news release that as of midday Thursday, six production platforms, out of the 737 manned platforms in the Gulf, had been evacuated. No drilling rigs were evacuated, but one movable rig was taken out of the storm’s path.

The agency estimated less than 15 percent of the current oil production in the Gulf of Mexico has been shut-in, which equates to 254,607 barrels of oil per day.

Mexico

Early Friday, the storm was centred about 275 miles (445 kilometres) south-southeast of Cozumel, Mexico, and was moving north-northwest at 14 mph (22 kph).

The forecast track showed that Nate could brush across the tip of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula as a tropical storm late Friday night.

Florida

Gov. Rick Scott has declared a state of emergency for 29 counties in north Florida and the Panhandle as Tropical Storm Nate approaches the Gulf coast.

The governor said in a news release Thursday that the order helps ensure that federal, state and local governments can work together easily and make sure storm-related resources are provided without delay to local communities.

The National Hurricane Center says strengthening is likely as the storm moves over the northwestern Caribbean Sea Thursday night and Friday. Parts of Florida are in the possible impact zone.

The affected counties are Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington, Bay, Jackson, Calhoun, Gulf, Gadsden, Liberty, Franklin, Leon, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison, Taylor, Hamilton, Suwannee, Lafayette, Dixie, Columbia, Gilchrist, Levy, Baker, Union, Bradford and Alachua.

Cruise Ships

Itineraries for the Carnival Triumph, Carnival Dream, Carnival Splendor and Carnival Sensation have been amended to steer clear of the storm, avoiding port calls in Cozumel and Carnival Dream’s scheduled return to New Orleans could be in doubt.

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas were also due to make port calls in Cozumel over the next few days.