BOSTON, Aug. 15, 2011 — According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, the seventh named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, Tropical Storm Gert, is approaching Bermuda and is expected to skirt the island before turning back out to sea, away from the U.S. east coast. The tropical depression that is now Gert formed in the Atlantic late Saturday night, and was upgraded to tropical storm status by Sunday afternoon. As of today’s 11:00 AM EDT advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Gert was located about 95 miles southeast…
Read MoreTag: National Hurricane Center
Emily Dissipates after Hitting Haiti; Rain still a Threat in Hispaniola
BOSTON, Aug. 5, 2011 – According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Emily remained stalled and disorganized in the Caribbean yesterday morning before finally reaching Haiti’s southwestern coast just before 5 pm EDT. As a result of interaction with Haiti’s mountainous terrain, the storm—at tropical storm-strength earlier in the day—rapidly degenerated. As of 5pm EDT last night, Emily had dissipated completely. It is now a remnant low pressure system, lacking a closed surface circulation. Even though the system’s winds are not a threat, rain and flooding are. Precipitation from Emily…
Read MoreTropical Storm Emily Set to Hit Haiti and the Dominican Republic
BOSTON, Aug. 3, 2011- According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Tropical Storm Emily is expected to hit the island of Hispaniola-shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic-with heavy rain and 50-mph winds this afternoon. The rainfall should worsen in the course of the day as the storm passes over the island. Current projections show the center of the storm passing close to Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s devastated capital, where 630,000 people remain without shelter after last year’s January earthquake. A tropical storm warning is in effect for both countries, for the Southeast…
Read MoreNo end in sight for severe drought in Texas
Drought continues to grip much of the Southern U.S. and there seems to be no end in sight. Texas was due for some mild relief from Tropical Storm Don as it made its way from the Gulf to bathe Southern Texas with rain. However, the storm vanished as it approached land, like an illusory oasis in the desert. What should have brought modest relief to a state that has struggled with drought since October of last year proved only to spur worry. Concerns regarding the drought are highest among ranchers…
Read MoreTropical Depression Don Makes Landfall in Texas
BOSTON, July 31, 2011– According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Don, the fourth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, made landfall late Friday near Baffin Bay, Texas, as a tropical depression. Dry air and shear tore the storm apart such that its winds—tropical storm-strength as Don approached the Texas coast—weakened to roughly 35 miles per hour as the storm crossed ashore. As of 10 PM CDT Friday night, just after landfall, all tropical storm watches and warnings for Texas were discontinued. On Friday afternoon, before the storm touched…
Read MoreTropical Storm Don Advances Toward Texas Coast Past Oil Platforms
BOSTON, July 28, 2011- According to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide, Tropical Storm Don is moving across the southern Gulf of Mexico toward the Texas coast near Corpus Christi, where it is expected to make landfall sometime late Friday or early Saturday. The storm will pass near several areas where offshore oil production is conducted, and several petroleum companies have begun evacuating support workers. A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Texas coast from Port Mansfield north to San Luis Pass. Tropical Storm Don officially became a tropical…
Read More