Tropical Storm Barry forms in the Gulf

UPDATE: Barry has moved ashore and lost much of its strength as it crossed over Tampa Bay. Now it is mostly a rainmaker in and area that has been in a bad drought for quite some time. Rainfall totals of 3 - 6 inches are expected. Interestingly, this storm is really moving quickly up the coast and is expected to strengthen once it reemerges over the Atlantic later today. It may be at tropical storm strength as it crosses over the Carolina coast Sunday and could reach the Jersey shore by early Monday morning.

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For the first day of the 2007 tropical season, we start right off with Tropical Storm Barry. Barry is expected to come ashore on the west coast of Florida by mid-day tomorrow (Saturday) and head right up the east coast of the US. This is actually good news for much of Florida and southern Georgia which are currently in drought cnditions. This storm will be a welcome drought buster.

AT 5 PM EDT...2100 UTC... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED
FOR THE WEST COAST OF FLORIDA FROM BONITA BEACH NORTHWARD TO KEATON
BEACH...AND A TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM NORTH OF
KEATON BEACH TO ST. MARKS.  A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT
TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA
WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT
TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH
AREA...GENERALLY WITHIN 36 HOURS.

Discussions:
AN AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE CHECKED THE SYSTEM IN THE GULF OF
MEXICO AND FOUND THAT THE PRESSURE HAS DROPPED TO 1000 MB WITH
FLIGHT-LEVEL WINDS OF 52 KNOTS.  INITIALLY...THE SYSTEM APPEARED TO
BE A SUBTROPICAL STORM. HOWEVER...DEEP CONVECTION HAS DEVELOPED
NEAR THE CENTER DURING THE PAST HOUR AND THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE
LOCATED NEAR THE CENTER...SUPPORTING A TROPICAL CLASSIFICATION.
BARRY COULD RETAIN SOME NON-TROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS. THE CYCLONE
IS EMBEDDED WITHIN A STRONG SOUTHWESTERLY SHEAR AND IS HEADING
TOWARD COOLER WATERS. THEREFORE...NO SIGNIFICANT STRENGTHENING IS
INDICATED BEFORE IT REACHES THE COAST.  BARRY SHOULD BECOME
EXTRATROPICAL BETWEEN 24 AND 36 HOURS.   

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