By Cydney Mavian
Charleston, SC – Alex, a tropical storm currently over the warm water of the Gulf of Mexico, is expected to turn into the first hurricane of the Atlantic season and affect the clean up efforts of BP’s ongoing oil spill.
Together, BP officials and Coast Guard officials are keeping an eye on the storm and organizing emergency plans that would postpone the oil collection process and interfere with the drilling of relief wells until the weather calms down. These provisions would permit more oil to leak into the gulf.
The National Hurricane Center is predicting that Alex will reach Category 2 strength. Category 2 hurricanes are marked by sustained winds between 96 and 110 miles per hour, and are described as extremely dangerous airstreams that will cause extensive damage.
By Friday afternoon, Alex is expected to be over Mexico.
The New York Times reported that according to Adm. Thad W. Allen, the federal commander on the scene, if winds reach gale force near the well, which is about 50 miles off the coast of Louisiana, it could drive wave swells to eight feet in height, which would force the postponement of surface skimming operations as well as efforts to recapture seeping oil near the ocean floor.
Allen reported to USA TODAY that Tropical Storm Alex, which is moving over Mexico toward Texas, has stirred up the water in the Gulf. Allen also said the course of the flow of oil has changed directions and huge slicks of it have moved back toward the Gulf shore due to the storm.
The oil path, which had originally been going east toward Florida, is now infiltrating the Mississippi Sound and Louisiana’s Chandeleur Islands, Allen told USA Today.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami has predicted that the storm will evolve into a hurricane sometime today as it heads toward the U.S. -Mexico border at the mouth of the Rio Grande.
Sometime Wednesday night, the hurricane center’s forecast map shows Alex making landfall as a category 1 storm along the northern Gulf Coast of Mexico.
On Monday, Texas Gov. Rick Perry went so far as to declare a state of disaster in 19 counties and ordered the pre-deployment of state resources, stating “Tropical Storm Alex poses a threat of imminent disaster along the Texas coast” in a proclamation on his website.
According to a statement made by Perry’s office to CNN, “the governor’s order puts up to 2,500 Nation Guard personnel, eight UH-60 helicopters and three C-130 aircraft on standby for rapid deployment as needed.”
Heavy rains in Mexico’s southern Gulf coast state of Tabasco forced the evacuation of about 300 families from communities near the Usumacinta River.
The hurricane warnings extend from Baffin Bay, Texas south across the mouth of the Rio Grande to La Cruz, Mexico, which is a total of 325 miles.
A hurricane warning means that the circumstances of the hurricane and tropical storm force winds are predicted to be in the estimated area within a day and a half.
The expectation of Alex to make landfall in Mexico Wednesday evening means the storm will be well to the south of the Gulf oil spill. However, the mixture of a high-pressure system to the east of the storm and the wind affiliated with Tropical Storm Alex will generate a significantly stronger onshore flow across the oil slick zone into Wednesday.
According to the Associated Press this afternoon, BP and Coast Guard officials sent oil-scooping skimming ships in the Gulf of Mexico back to shore Tuesday. All of the efforts to clean up with oil spill have been suspended for the time being off the coast of Louisiana.
Additionally, the Associated Press reported that clean up efforts have also been halted off the coasts of Alabama, Florida and Mississippi.
The only remaining boats currently in the water are there for the seizing or burning of oil and of gas seeping out from the well and to drill two relief wells.
In spite of the hindrances, the Associated Press reported “the rough weather could give nature a hand in breaking down crude from the spill” where the high waves could help break down the thick patches of oil and the strong winds “could help evaporate the crude faster.”
The coast of South Texas has begun filling sandbags, clearing drainage ditches, positioning heavy equipment and water pumps and preparing emergency shelters.
Weather forecasters have predicted that rain from Alex would keep coming down on southern Mexico and Guatemala well into this evening, increasing the likelihood of life-threatening floods and mudslides.
The duration of time that the oil spill clean up operation will be suspended is currently unknown as Tropical Storm Alex continues to grow in size and strength.
For more information about Tropical Storm Alex, visit the National Hurricane Center online at nhc.noaa.gov
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