Weather Underground

Tropical Storm Barry Special Advisory Number 1

Statement as of 3:00 pm EDT on August 02, 2001

...Tropical Storm Barry forms in the eastern Gulf of Mexico...

This afternoon...an Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft found that the strong tropical wave in the eastern Gulf of Mexico has strengthened into the second tropical storm of the season.

At 3 pm EDT...1900z...the center of Tropical Storm Barry was located near latitude 26.3 north...longitude 84.8 west or about 320 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Barry is moving toward the northwest near 5 mph and this motion is expected to continue today with a gradual turn toward the west-northwest on Friday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph... 65 km/hr...with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours. Watches or warnings may be required later tonight for portions of the north central Gulf Coast.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 70 miles from the center...mainly to the north and east of the center.

Estimated minimum central pressure is 1010 mb...29.83 inches.

Repeating the 3 pm EDT position...26.3 N... 84.8 W. Movement toward...northwest near 5 mph. Maximum sustained winds... 40 mph. Minimum central pressure...1010 mb.

The next advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 5 pm EDT.

Forecaster Stewart

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2001

Answers

Response to TROPICAL STORM BARRY - First advisory just issued, eastern Gulf of Mexico

[OG Note: Venice and Port Sulphur in Plaquemines Parish and Ycloskey, Shell Beach and Delacroix Island in St. Bernard Parish are all on very low ground, some bordering the Mississippi River, some along the bayous, and easily flooded. Many of the houses are on stilts--but not all.]

[The following advisory will not automatically update. For current update, see here]

Tropical Storm Barry Advisory Number 3

Statement as of 10:00 pm CDT on August 02, 2001

...Disorganized Barry continues slowly northwest...

Small craft should remain in port from the Atchafalaya river Louisiana to Destin Florida. Watches or warning may be required for portions of the northern Gulf Coast on Friday.

At 10 pm CDT...0300z...the center of Tropical Storm Barry was located near latitude 26.8 north...longitude 85.6 west or about 270 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River.

Barry is moving toward the northwest near 6 mph...and a gradual turn to the west-northwest is expected on Friday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph... 75 km/hr...with higher gusts. Although Barry has become somewhat disorganized this evening...some strengthening is still possible during the next 24 hours. Winds and seas will gradually increase tonight and Friday across the north central Gulf of Mexico and some coastal flooding may occur over portions of southeast Louisiana. See statements from local National Weather Service offices for more information.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 105 miles ...165 km from the center.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 mb...29.74 inches.

Locally heavy rainfall of 3 to 5 inches is possible over portions of central and South Florida tonight and Friday.

Isolated tornadoes are possible along the southwest Florida coast tonight.

Repeating the 10 pm CDT position...26.8 N... 85.6 W. Movement toward...northwest near 6 mph. Maximum sustained winds... 45 mph. Minimum central pressure...1007 mb.

The next advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane Center at 4 am CDT...Friday.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

We've had lots of rain, but I haven't seen any flooding. The areas that Irene flooded have extra pumps in the drains to move the water faster, so those folks are doing okay.

It was windy on Tues Wed, but pleasantly so. Glad Barry wimped by us before getting more organized.

Still raining off and on here, though.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

That's the best weather depiction map I have ever seen. Thanks for posting it. I have that site bookmarked now.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001

I like lots of Weather Underground's stuff, Gordon, but their radar stinks. Intellicast, with its blasted pop-unders, is still the best radar--unless someone has discovered a better one.

NO Times-Picayune

Tropical Storm Barry speeds up in Gulf, heads west toward Louisiana after drenching Florida

By KEN THOMAS The Associated Press 8/3/01 11:48 AM

MIAMI (AP) -- Tropical Storm Barry picked up forward speed in the Gulf of Mexico Friday as it headed toward Louisiana after drenching parts of Florida with as much as 14 inches of rain that flooded streets and homes.

The National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm watch for parts of southeast Louisiana from the mouth of the Pearl River to Morgan City, La.

After losing some steam overnight, the second named storm of the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season became better organized Friday and could gain more momentum and strength, officials said.

"It should remain at tropical intensity throughout the day. Looking ahead it still has the possibility of some strengthening" into a hurricane, said Robert Molleda, a meteorologist with the National Hurricane Center.

A reconnaissance plane was flying into the center of Barry again Friday to monitor the storm's intensity.

Tornadoes were still possible along the southwest Florida coast and coastal flooding was possible in southeast Louisiana, according to an advisory from the hurricane center.

At 11 a.m., Barry was centered about 185 miles southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River. The storm was moving in a west-northwest track at about 7 mph with maximum sustained winds of about 40 mph. The wind speed had been at 45 mph Thursday, but dropped during the night.

Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 105 miles to the northeast of the center.

Texas forecasters were also monitoring the storm.

"If it impacts our area, it would be Sunday or Monday," Bill Read, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Houston-Galveston office, said.

Officials in Martin County, north of Palm Beach on Florida's east coast, were assessing the damage after the region was deluged by up to 14 inches of rain, flooding streets and homes, leaving many residents stranded and forcing the region to declare a state of emergency on Thursday.

About 120 homes received flood damage, and about 30 people gathered at a Red Cross shelter at a church during the night, emergency officials said.

Portions of central and South Florida may see an additional 3 to 5 inches Friday, according to the hurricane center.

"We're going to be wet for a few days but this is South Florida -- we're used to that," Miami-Dade County Mayor Alex Penelas said.

Even so, water managers said the heavy rains won't be enough to immediately lift restrictions on lawn watering and car washing that have been imposed during one of the worst droughts in the state's history.

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On the Net:

National Hurricane Center: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2001