Tropical Storm Nate has formed off of Nicaragua, and could grow into a hurricane that is forecast to strike the U.S. Gulf Coast late Sunday, potentially shutting down offshore oil and natural gas rigs and dealing another blow to United States citizens.
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`Extremely active’ hurricane season is 3rd worst on record
This year’s Atlantic hurricane season has been the third-most active on record, and there are still more than eight weeks left in this years hurricane season.
Fourteen storms have formed across the Atlantic so far this season, killing hundreds of people in the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean and causing an estimated $300 billion in damage. In August, Hurricane Harvey temporarily shut down about 25% of oil and natural gas production in the Gulf and as much as 20% of U.S. refining capacity and a few weeks later Hurricane Irma devastated Florida citrus groves.
Tropical Storm Nate Wind, storm surge, heavy rainfall
The storm “could affect portions of the northern Gulf Coast as a tropical storm this weekend, with direct impacts from wind, storm surge as high as 8 feet, and heavy rainfall. Residents along the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Florida should monitor this system for the next several days.
The system “definitely” poses a risk to U.S. property western portions of the southeast, including Alabama and Georgia. Maryland, said in a telephone interview.
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“If the storm shoots the gap between the Yucatan and Cuba, there will be limited weakening due to land interaction before the storm emerges into the Gulf,” Crawford said. “This would increase the chances of rapid intensification and would be a more dire situation for the eastern Gulf Coast.”
There’s about a 30%t chance it will disrupt U.S. offshore energy operations, as companies may evacuate some personnel, said Matt Rogers, president of the Commodity Weather Group LLC in Bethesda, Maryland.
Offshore rigs and platforms in the Gulf of Mexico account for about 17% of U.S. crude oil output and 4.1% of gas production. About 45% of petroleum refining capacity and 51% of gas processing is along the coastline.
Tropical Storm Nate Threatens life and cause major mudslides
The storm will bring as much as 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain to Nicaragua, with some areas getting as much as 30 inches, and lesser amounts to Costa Rica, Panama and Honduras. The heavy rain could cause life-threatening mudslides throughout the region.
Its location in the western Caribbean means it can draw moisture from both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, which will make the flooding worse, Masters said.
The good news is that the storm should be falling apart by late Sunday, “so it will be short-lived,” Rogers said.