Tropical Storm Ike Forms in the Atlantic

Hanna upgraded to Hurricane Status seen above and Ike has now formed.

This season is beginning to feel like the ABC song on Sesame Street.

Have heard a rumor that Josephine is behind it further off in the distance just having moved off of Africa but we aren't sure that's Josephine. But, we are sure TD 9 is Ike!

As Ike was upgraded Gustav was downgraded to a Tropical Storm. What goes up... must come down but still it goes round and round. Gustav is moving to the west of Baton Rouge as the spiral bands of Gustav continue to stream in across New Orleans, Hattiesburg, Mobile and head towards Jackson. It will be a rainy, windy night for much of that part of the deep south.

Amazingly Gustav is STILL moving to the NW at 17! Despite an expected slowdown and curve a bit to the left it is still moving NW at 17! I think it might be closer to WNW than NW but we'll see at 11 as they even out the movement of the eye.

So far the levees have held though there is a privately owned levee protecting farm land and about 250 houses that is in danger of collapsing. Hopefully, it won't. They did say though that we won't know for sure how we do until tomorrow. Sometimes the levees look okay but they fail down the road. However, much of the area flooded by the overtopping has receded which is a good sign.

As for Hurricane Hanna she is moving SSW at 3 and the models are all over the place. Most take it up the coast and others dip it down and race it back into the Tri-County area of Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and WPB which is why we are currently on the cone for Thursday.

Watches and warnings are up for the Bahamas currently.

She has battered negative conditions for some time now and so she is expected to make it through the next blast of shear. If the high builds in she moves into South Florida. If the high sits high she moves towards the Carolinas and north. Two people have died in Ft. Lauderdale from fast, dangerous rip currents from Hurricane Hanna to our east. Keep that in mind, this is a dangerous storm despite it not looking as picture perfect as others as it will dress up quite nice for landfall I fear. Most people I meet in Miami have a fatalistic feeling about Hurricane Hanna. Odd but true. They all feel we will get something from her... jittery nerves or something in the wind? Seems they relocated Hanna further south after losing her center or not being sure where it was. I am sorry but I kinda feel like it's real important we are sure we find that center and get it right as model need accurate start points. Hopefully they have it now. Good news is they think Hanna's center is found, consolidating and new models will run with that info. Bad news is they pulled the tracks to the south for it so we will see what happens later with the next run of models.

As for IKE.... first we will deal with Hanna and hopefully not get a 1 - 2 punch from Ike.

Ike, a storm with a politically correct name for this week as the republican convention continues on. Not many people here are painting the words I LIKE IKE on their brand new rooftops.

Oh what a messy tropics it is or organized maybe, tropically organized and politically correct. Go figure.

Will be back later. Family birthday party for my 19 year old!

What a day... what a Labor Day!

Gotta go.. will check back in later... hope for the best with the levees and start looking east towards Hanna and Ike!

Happy Birthday.... Besos Bobbi
(Ps..would you believe I had a child on Labor Day Weekend! LOL)