Tropical Storm Karen has formed in the Gulf of Mexico and is aiming for several of the Gulf states.
Doyle Rice, USA TODAY 4:17 p.m. EDT October 3, 2013
Workers pump water from the parking lot of the Dadeland Plaza shopping center on Oct. 3, 2013, after heavy rains in Pinecrest, Fla., a suburb of Miami. Preparations began Thursday along the central Gulf Coast as newly formed Tropical Storm Karen threatened to become the first named tropical system to menace the United States this year.(Photo: Wilfredo Lee, AP)
[h=3]Story Highlights[/h]
Tropical Storm Karen, which formed Thursday morning, is forecast to hit the U.S. Gulf Coast on Saturday.
It is the 11th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
As of 2 p.m. ET, the storm had winds of 65 mph. It was located about 430 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River and was moving north-northwest at 12 mph.
Late Thursday afternoon, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency for Louisiana.
Karen could become a hurricane before making landfall, reports AccuWeather. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when its winds reach 74 mph.
The storm should make landfall somewhere along the Gulf Coast by Saturday night.
TWITTER: Follow USA TODAY Weather
Hurricane and tropical storm watches have been posted for the U.S. Gulf Coast from Florida to Louisiana.
Karen could hit near where Hurricane Katrina made landfall in August 2005. Katrina, the most destructive hurricane in U.S. history, killed more than 1,800 people and did over $100 billion damage. This storm, while on a similar path to Katrina, is not forecast to hit as a hurricane.
Katrina was only one of two "K" hurricanes to have its name "retired," the other being Hurricane Keith, which pounded Central America in 2000.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has to begun to recall furloughed employees to prepare for Karen, said White House spokesman Jay Carney.
THE OVAL: Obama, FEMA brace for tropical storm
A hurricane watch is in effect from Grand Isle, La., to Indian Pass, Fla., while a tropical storm watch is in effect for metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Ponchartrain and Lake Maurepas, as well as the Gulf Coast from west of Grand Isle to Morgan City, La.
A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area, while a tropical storm watch means tropical storm conditions could occur.
Rainfall totals of from 4 to 8 inches can be expected to the east of where the storm makes landfall, reports meteorologist Jeff Masters of the Weather Underground. Some minor coastal flooding is also possible.
LOCAL COVERAGE: Pensacola News-Journal
The highest odds of tropical storm-force winds are along the coast from Buras, La., to Pensacola, Fla.
"Wind gusts in the neighborhood of 60 mph can cause minor property damage, downed trees and power outages," reports AccuWeather meteorologist Michael Doll.
Preparations are already underway in Florida: Pensacola Beach Public Safety Director Bob West said lifeguard towers and trash cans will be removed from the beach and secured today or Friday.
At this time, officials in Escambia County (where Pensacola is located) are not implementing any emergency actions or voluntary evacuations in response to Karen.
"We're not sure exactly where it's going yet, but we're asking residents to be prepared just in case," Brandy Zeiglar, an Escambia County public information officer said.
Once the storm moves inland, it should dump rain across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states.
AccuWeather reports that a pocket of 3- to 6-inch rainfall could occur as the storm tracks across the region, which doesn't need the additional rainfall: Three states in the Southeast -- Florida, Georgia and South Carolina -- all endured their wettest summer on record, according to the National Climatic Data Center.
Contributing: Kevin Robinson, Pensacola News-Journal
Tropical Storm Karen is forecast to make landfall along the U.S. Gulf Coast on Saturday.(Photo: National Hurricane Center)
Doyle Rice, USA TODAY 4:17 p.m. EDT October 3, 2013
Workers pump water from the parking lot of the Dadeland Plaza shopping center on Oct. 3, 2013, after heavy rains in Pinecrest, Fla., a suburb of Miami. Preparations began Thursday along the central Gulf Coast as newly formed Tropical Storm Karen threatened to become the first named tropical system to menace the United States this year.(Photo: Wilfredo Lee, AP)
[h=3]Story Highlights[/h]
- Karen is the 11th named storm of the season
- It could become a hurricane before landfall
- The storm has winds of 65 mph
Tropical Storm Karen, which formed Thursday morning, is forecast to hit the U.S. Gulf Coast on Saturday.
It is the 11th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
As of 2 p.m. ET, the storm had winds of 65 mph. It was located about 430 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River and was moving north-northwest at 12 mph.
Late Thursday afternoon, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal declared a state of emergency for Louisiana.
Karen could become a hurricane before making landfall, reports AccuWeather. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when its winds reach 74 mph.
The storm should make landfall somewhere along the Gulf Coast by Saturday night.
TWITTER: Follow USA TODAY Weather
Hurricane and tropical storm watches have been posted for the U.S. Gulf Coast from Florida to Louisiana.
Karen could hit near where Hurricane Katrina made landfall in August 2005. Katrina, the most destructive hurricane in U.S. history, killed more than 1,800 people and did over $100 billion damage. This storm, while on a similar path to Katrina, is not forecast to hit as a hurricane.
Katrina was only one of two "K" hurricanes to have its name "retired," the other being Hurricane Keith, which pounded Central America in 2000.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has to begun to recall furloughed employees to prepare for Karen, said White House spokesman Jay Carney.
THE OVAL: Obama, FEMA brace for tropical storm
A hurricane watch is in effect from Grand Isle, La., to Indian Pass, Fla., while a tropical storm watch is in effect for metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Ponchartrain and Lake Maurepas, as well as the Gulf Coast from west of Grand Isle to Morgan City, La.
A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area, while a tropical storm watch means tropical storm conditions could occur.
Rainfall totals of from 4 to 8 inches can be expected to the east of where the storm makes landfall, reports meteorologist Jeff Masters of the Weather Underground. Some minor coastal flooding is also possible.
LOCAL COVERAGE: Pensacola News-Journal
The highest odds of tropical storm-force winds are along the coast from Buras, La., to Pensacola, Fla.
"Wind gusts in the neighborhood of 60 mph can cause minor property damage, downed trees and power outages," reports AccuWeather meteorologist Michael Doll.
Preparations are already underway in Florida: Pensacola Beach Public Safety Director Bob West said lifeguard towers and trash cans will be removed from the beach and secured today or Friday.
At this time, officials in Escambia County (where Pensacola is located) are not implementing any emergency actions or voluntary evacuations in response to Karen.
"We're not sure exactly where it's going yet, but we're asking residents to be prepared just in case," Brandy Zeiglar, an Escambia County public information officer said.
Once the storm moves inland, it should dump rain across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic states.
AccuWeather reports that a pocket of 3- to 6-inch rainfall could occur as the storm tracks across the region, which doesn't need the additional rainfall: Three states in the Southeast -- Florida, Georgia and South Carolina -- all endured their wettest summer on record, according to the National Climatic Data Center.
Contributing: Kevin Robinson, Pensacola News-Journal