Zeta

[Tropical Inspector]

Saturday Evening Update

TD 28 classified

The Weather Situation
TD 28 is organizing in the western Caribbean. A burst of convection is near the center of the low. Outflow aloft is also seen with anticyclonic outflow.

For more frequent updates: Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx

Current tropical weather
As of 8:00 PM EDT TD 28 was centered at 18.9 N / 83.1 W or about 240 miles SSE of the western tip of Cuba. It was moving NNW at 2 mph. Officially top sustained winds are estimated at 30 mph. Pressure was estimated at 1005 hPa (mb).

Tropical Weather Forecast:
TD 28 is expected to organize. Forecasts take it northwest to the tip of the Yucatan then into the central Gulf. It may reach hurricane strength. It then is forecast to weaken and move toward the northcentral gulf coast by midweek.

Tropicast: IR Satellite

[Tropical Inspector]

Sunday Morning Update

slow organization

The Weather Situation
IR satellite shows deep convection mainly near and north of the Honduras coast. It is a significant increase from 12 hours ago. Upper air divergence is still discernable, so strengthening is anticipated.

For more frequent updates: Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx

Current tropical weather
As of 8:00 AM EDT Zeta was centered at 17.8 N / 83.8 W or about 290 miles SSE of the western tip of Cuba. It was stationary. Officially top sustained winds are estimated at 40 mph. Pressure was estimated at 1005 hPa (mb).

Tropical Weather Forecast:
Zeta may reach hurricane strength by the time it reaches the northeastern Yucatan. It is expected to retain hurricane strength into the central Gulf of Mexico. It then is forecast to weaken and move toward the northcentral gulf coast by midweek. The recent GFS has shifted farther east to near the Alabama coast. We'll see if this trend continues.

Tropicast: IR Satellite

[Tropical Inspector]

Monday Morning Update

slow organization

The Weather Situation
IR satellite shows the Zeta's CDO has grown. Even though the overall appearance doesn't seem to look that organized, the recon is finding winds at nearly hurricane force.

For more frequent updates: Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx

Current tropical weather
As of 5:00 AM EDT Zeta was centered at 18.7 N / 84.3 W or about 210 miles SE of Cozumel, Mexico. It was moving NW at 9 mph. Officially top sustained winds are estimated at 70 mph. Pressure was estimated at 990 hPa (mb).

Tropical Weather Forecast:
Zeta is expected to make landfall over the Yucatan tonight as a hurricane. It will move into the central Gulf and make landfall on the north central Gulf Wednesday night near southeastern Louisiana.

Tropicast: IR Satellite

[Tropical Inspector]

Monday Night Update

Another hurricane

The Weather Situation
Zeta became a hurricane earlier today. Satellite imagery shows a solid CDO, but still no eye structure.

For more frequent updates: Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx

Current tropical weather
As of 7:00 PM CDT Zeta was centered at 19.9 N / 86.6 W or about 45 miles SSE of Cozumel, Mexico. It was moving NW at 12 mph. Officially top sustained winds are estimated at 70 mph. Pressure was estimated at 983 hPa (mb).

Tropical Weather Forecast:
Zeta is expected to make landfall over the Yucatan tonight as a hurricane. It will move into the central Gulf and make landfall on the north central Gulf Wednesday night near southeastern Louisiana.

Tropicast: Visible Satellite

[Tropical Inspector]

Tuesday Morning Update

Zeta weakens some

The Weather Situation
Zeta will become a hurricane again after weakening over land last night. Outflow appears excellent by the appearance of the high clouds. IMO, Zeta is currently weaker than 70 MPH, and I believe it is closer to 55-60 MPH.

For more frequent updates: Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx

Current tropical weather
As of 4:00 AM CDT Zeta was centered at 21.0 N / 88.4 W or about 85 miles ESE of Progreso, Mexico / 560 miles south of the Mississippi river. It was moving NW at 14 mph. Officially top sustained winds are estimated at 70 mph. Pressure was estimated at 984 hPa (mb).

Tropical Weather Forecast:
Zeta is moving off of the Yucatan and will strengthen soon. It will move northwest, then north, then eventually northeast as it makes landfall late Wednesday on the Louisiana coast.

Tropicast: IR Satellite

[Tropical Inspector]

Tuesday Evening Update

Zeta still a tropical storm

The Weather Situation
Zeta is being sheared. Deep convection is on the SW side of the circulation which is nearly exposed.

For more frequent updates: Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx

Current tropical weather
As of 7:00 PM CDT Zeta was centered at 23.2 N / 90.8 W or about 410 miles SSW of the Mississippi river. It was moving NW at 14 mph. Officially top sustained winds are estimated at 65 mph. Pressure was estimated at 990 hPa (mb).

Tropical Weather Forecast:
Zeta is still predicted to make landfall Wednesday afternoon on the Louisiana coast as a cat 1 hurricane.

Tropicast: Visible Satellite

[Tropical Inspector]

Wednesday Night Update

Zeta moving inland

The Weather Situation
Zeta made landfall on the southeast coast of Louisiana at around 4 PM CDT. Golden Meadow, LA reported at wind of 94 with a gust to 110 mph. Bayou Bienvenue reported at sustained wind of 88 mph and gust to 112 mph.

Flash flooding, wind damage and isolated tornadoes are possible along the track. Official estimate of sustained winds at landfall were 110 mph. At first glance this looks to be an overestimate as gusts should be found in the 130+ mph range.

For more frequent updates: Twitter: https://twitter.com/richjohnsonwx

Current tropical weather
As of 7:00 PM CDT Zeta was centered at 30.2 N / 89.9 W or about 10 miles SW of Slidel,LA. It was moving NNE at 25 mph. Officially top sustained winds are estimated at 100 mph. Pressure was estimated at 972 hPa (mb).

Tropical Weather Forecast:
Zeta will bring flash flooding, and widespread wind damage / powers outages across central Alabama, north Georgia into the southern Appalachians.

Tropicast: Visible Satellite


Tropicast: IR Satellite


Tropicast: Louisiana Radar 7 pm cdt