Louisiana low moves inland

Just as the Low Pressure system near the Louisiana Gulf Coast started to kick up its heels, it moved inland and broke apart. Earlier this afternoon this system was strengthening significantly with near tropical storm force winds and really looked like it would become a cyclone before hitting the shore. Interesting how quickly these systems can change, especially when they form so close to land.

Storm off Louisiana packing tropical force winds (Reuters)

MIAMI, July 5 (Reuters) - A storm packing heavy winds in the Gulf of Mexico is likely to strengthen into a tropical cyclone before it tears into coastal Louisiana on Monday evening, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

It said the storm, centered about 50 miles (80 km) south-southeast of Morgan City, Louisiana, was already packing sustained winds near tropical storm force.

There was a "high chance" it will become the second named storm of the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season before it makes landfall in the Terrebonne Parish area near Caillou Bay early Monday evening, the Miami-based hurricane center said.

Instead of fully developing, the storm moved inland. The National Hurricane Center does not expect any further development at this time, however, if the system remains poised at the coast, it would not be too surprising to see this system grow or at least dump significant rain in the area.