Tropical Storm Cristóbal has grown somewhat in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico heading north and is expected to make landfall Sunday off the coast of Louisiana, USA, according to the National Hurricane Center (CNE).
Cristóbal however, will continue to leave heavy rains in the states of Quintana Roo and Yucatan, already severely affected by the floods, before approaching the south American coast. In Campeche, it caused flooding in at least seven municipalities.
In the United States, it is expected to cause strong winds and rains, cyclone surges and flooding in Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi, with accumulations of up to 12 inches.
The Miami-based CNH issued tropical storm alerts for the state of Louisiana between Intracoastal City and Morgan City on Saturday, and between Lake Pontchartrain and Maurepas.
It also stops between East Morgan City and Okaloosa and Walton counties in northwest Florida.
Cyclone storm surge alerts are also in place between Indian Pass and Arepika, Florida, between the mouth of the river Mississippi and Ocean Springs, Mississippi, between eastern Morgan City and that same month, as well as Lake Borgne, Louisiana.
Christopher was formed from the remaining storm Amanda of the Pacific, which left death and destruction last weekend in the region.
In the last few hours, Cristobal has been slightly strengthened with maximum winds sustained to 50 miles per hour (85 kilometers) and travels north at about 12 miles per hour (19 kilometers).
It is currently 365 miles (590 kilometers) south of the mouth of the Mississippi River on the South American coast. Its center is expected to move on Sunday and Monday over Louisiana and then move to Arkansas.
Christopher is the third tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began last Monday and is expected to be “above normal,” according to U.S. and academic authorities.
Colorado State University (CSU) reported on Thursday that it expects 19 named storms, nine hurricanes, and 4 of them of a significant category, and even more substantial activity than it had anticipated last April, while the CNH estimates 13 to 19 tropical storms.
An average season has 12 named storms, of which 6 become hurricanes, including three major categories, i.e., 3, 4, or 5 (maximum) on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
