SATURDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2009

IDA RE-INTENSIFIES TO A TROPICAL STORM (DETAILS IN TROPICAL OUTLOOK BELOW)

COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENT ISSUED WITH HIGH TIDES POSSIBLE SUNDAY AND MONDAY

PARTLY CLOUDY AND MILD TODAY

MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY

Partly cloudy and mild today. High temperatures will be in the mid-70's. Expect winds from the east at 10-15 mph. Partly to mostly cloudy and pleasant tonight with a 40% chance of showers after midnight. Overnight lows will range from the upper-60's in Galveston to the mid-60's inland. On Sunday we will have mostly cloudy skies, breezy conditions and mild temperatures with a 50% chance of showers or thunderstorms. Highs will range be in the upper-70's. Winds will be from the northeast at 10-20 mph, increasing to 15-25 mph Sunday night.

DISCUSSION

Near ideal weather will continue for one more day before we see a major change. Clouds and slightly higher humidity levels will begin to move in today on Saturday with a chance at rain tonight and on Sunday as an upper-level trough moves in from the west and a surface low or low pressure trough develops in the Gulf of Mexico and moves north. Winds will increase along with a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Strong easterly winds may result in elevated tide levels along the Texas and Louisiana coasts. A coastal flood statement has been issued for Sunday and Monday with tides running 3-4 feet on Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula. Conditions should improve by Tuesday and Wednesday as drier air moves in behind the low.

TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK

Ida has regained its status as a tropical storm as it moves north over the northwest Caribbean. At 7 am AST, Ida was located near 17.4 N and 84.1 W. Sustained winds were 45-mph with some further strengthening expected. Barometric pressure was (1002 MB) 29.59". The storm is expected to continue north into the Gulf of Mexico where wind shear may eventually disrupt the system. There is some chance that the storm may reach Florida as an extra-tropical low. Otherwise, the Tropical Atlantic Basin is quiet and no tropical storm formation is expected at this time.