The 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season wrapped up on Saturday. It was an active season to say the least. In total, eighteen named storms developed and tracked through the Atlantic Basin. Of those, eleven became hurricanes and five became major (Cat. 3+) hurricanes. An average season produces fourteen named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.

The seasonal activity fell within the forecasted ranges from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). While Colorado State University's forecast of 23 named storms was a tad high, the projected number of hurricanes and major hurricanes were each within one of the actual value.

TWO BURSTS OF ACTIVITY

Activity began on June 19 with the formation of Tropical Storm Alberto in the Bay of Campeche. It was off to the races after that, with four additional named systems developing through mid-August.

Then, the tropics closed for business. From August 13 through September 8, no systems formed in the Atlantic - for the first time in over 50 years. Such a lull was likely caused by a combination of factors, a few of which include:

1) A northward shift in the track of tropical waves coming off the African Coast: These waves commonly serve as "seeds" for tropical development. Such a shift causes these "seeds" to move over cooler waters to the north, preventing additional development

2) Abnormally warm upper-level temperatures: Even with record-warm ocean temperatures, the amount of warmth in the upper atmosphere limited the amount of instability, or storm energy, which hurricanes require.

3) Too much wind shear in the eastern/central Atlantic: Such conditions work against hurricane development by disrupting its structure.

Hurricane Francine broke the period of silence once it formed on September 9, just before the peak of hurricane season. Twelve named storms formed after peak season, seven of which were hurricanes - the most on record for this period. The season finally quieted down with the dissipation of Tropical Storm Sara on November 18.

LANDFALLING SYSTEMS

Five hurricanes made landfall in the Lower 48 in 2024, with two storms doing so as major hurricanes. It is worth nothing that all of these landfalls occurred along the Gulf Coast. This ties 2005 and 2020 for the second most number of Gulf Coast hurricane landfalls on record, trailing behind 1886 which saw six.

Hurricane Beryl: Was a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds at 165 mph at peak strength. Beryl was the earliest Category 5 on record in the Atlantic basin. Beryl made three landfalls, its first in the island of Carriacou, Grenada. A second landfall occurred a few days later in the Yucatan Peninsula, with the third and final one occurring near Matagorda, Texas. Beryl was responsible for significant storm surge flooding across parts of Texas and Louisiana, as well as 68 tornadoes across the country.

Hurricane Debby: Was a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds at 80 mph at peak strength. Debby made landfall on August 5 in Florida's Big Bend Region at that intensity, and was the first of two storms to do so this year. The storm was slow-moving and took an erratic path, eventually reemerging over open water along the Southeast Coast before making a second landfall in South Carolina on August 8. Debby was responsible for widespread flooding across the Southeast and parts of Canada. In fact, the system became the costliest natural disaster in the history of the Canadian province of Quebec.

Hurricane Francine: Was a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds at 100 mph at peak strength. The storm made landfall in Terrebonne Parish on September 11 at that intensity before tracking inland between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes took the hardest hit from Francine. Damage is estimated at $1.5 billion. Fortunately, the storm resulted in no fatalities.

Hurricane Helene: Was a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds at 140 mph at peak strength. Helene made landfall on September 26 in Florida's Big Bend Region at that intensity, and was the second storm of the season to do so. The storm caused catastrophic flooding and widespread wind damage from the Gulf Coast to the southern Appalachians. Damages are estimated unofficially at >$120 billion. Helene is responsible for more than 150 direct fatalities - the deadliest to affect the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Hurricane Milton: Was a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds at 180 mph at peak strength. In fact, Milton attained Category 5 strength twice during its life cycle. Milton's rapid intensification rate was also one of the highest ever recorded, strengthening by 90 mph in a 24-hour period from October 6 to 7. The storm made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida on October 9 as a major Category 3 storm, bringing torrential rainfall and a destructive storm surge to parts of the state. Milton was also responsible for 46 tornadoes in Florida.

For now, the Capital Area can turn its attention away from the tropics. The 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season starts up on June 1 - the Storm Station will be ready to keep you informed once that time arrives.

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The National Weather Service (NWS) is re-working several alerts that will change the messages you receive in harsh winter weather. Effective immediately, the HARD FREEZE WARNING product is being eliminated and the WIND CHILL ADVISORY will be renamed COLD ADVISORY.

Regardless of official alerts and messages, cold temperatures can be life-threatening without proper actions. Any time the Storm Station is forecasting temperatures below 40 degrees, you should make sure that any family, friends and neighbors have access to a warm shelter. Consider providing warmth for pets and animals as well using the general rule that if you are cold, they are cold. Here are some other cold temperature thresholds that require action:

1) 37 – 33 degrees: cover or move sensitive vegetation such as tropical plants to prevent frost damage

2) 32 – 25 degrees: cover or move any non-cold hardy plants, crops may be killed or damaged by a freeze

3) Under 25 degrees: in addition to caring for vegetation, consider wrapping outdoor, exposed pipes and running faucets on a very slow drip

To add awareness for necessary safety measures, NWS will issue alerts when certain conditions are expected. New this season, some changes have been made to the traditional cold weather alerts that were used in previous years.

REMOVAL OF HARD FREEZE WARNING

The most significant of the two changes for the Capital Area is the elimination of the HARD FREEZE WARNING. Local infrastructure, especially the plumbing of older and raised buildings, can be compromised in temperatures below 25 degrees. With complete elimination of the HARD FREEZE WARNING, be sure to stick with the Storm Station for specifics on just how low temperatures will go in each cold snap.

REMOVAL OF WIND CHILL ADVISORY

The WIND CHILL ADVISORY placed more emphasis on what was causing the cold. In reality, a very low feels-like temperature is dangerous to people and property regardless of whether it is just downright cold or made colder via the wind.

ADDITION OF COLD ADVISORY AND COLD WARNING

The new COLD ADVISORY and COLD WARNING will be used to indicate temperatures or wind chills low enough to cause harm to people and property. These more closely align with the warm season products of HEAT ADVISORY and HEAT WARNING. The COLD ADVISORY and COLD WARNING will have some geographical variation. Areas north of the interstates are slightly more tolerant to the cold and therefore have a slightly lower threshold.

UPDATES TO FREEZE WARNING

The FREEZE WARNING will be restored to its original purpose as an agricultural product based on two zones within the Storm Station Forecast Area. For southwest Mississippi and neighboring Louisiana Parishes, a FREEZE WARNING will be triggered the first two times that temperatures dip below 32 degrees. Since the first two instances are considered a “killing” freeze, it will not be issued again unless there has been a prolonged warm spell and growing has resumed. Along and south of the Interstate 10/12 Corridor, the FREEZE WARNING will be issued every time temperatures are expected to dip below 32 degrees.

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After breaking the all-time record for the latest 90 degree temperature earlier this week, Metro Airport did it again on Wednesday. This is the 4th time this fall that the latest 90 degree record has been broken.

Since October 26, seven (out of a possible twelve) record high temperatures have been tied or broken. Record highs will come within one or two degrees of standing record high temperatures on Thursday also. Record warmest low temperature records will continue to be challenged as well.

This comes after a remarkably warm October, which ranked as the 5th warmest on record with an average monthly temperature of 74.2 degrees. The hottest October was in 1919 with an average temperature of 78.2 degrees.

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

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With the first fall chill across the Capital Area, it is a reminder that winter is just around the corner. The latest indications suggest that this winter will be warmer and drier than average. Read on for what this could mean for snow chances. 

The first signs of drought have recently become evident across southern Louisiana. The lack of rainfall looks to continue, as below average rainfall is expected this winter. Drought development is likely around the Capital Area as we head into the winter months.

NOAA also does extended forecast for temperatures. While there might be a few colder spells, temperatures will be a decent bit above average. So if you are hoping for snow, the combination of warmer than average, and drier than average means snow is even less likely than usual.

A lot goes into these long range forecast, but one big tool forecasters use is the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). This is not only useful for the tropics, but for temperature and rainfall as well. El Niño favors cool and wet winters, while La Niña favors warm and dry winters. 

Currently, we are in a neutral ENSO phase. Latest observations suggest waters are beginning to cool across the equatorial Pacific, which suggest we are heading into a La Niña. This should persist throughout the winter, leading to southeast Louisiana having a warm and dry winter. 

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

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The capital region will have an opportunity to see an uncommon astronomical sight this month. A comet will be visible in the night sky. Keep reading to find out when it can be seen in the Baton Rouge area.

On January 9, 2023, something orbiting the Sun was discovered at the Purple Mountain (Tsuchinshan) Observatory in China. The object was initially thought to be an asteroid. But on February 22, 2023, the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) program located in South Africa independently located and confirmed the object as a comet.

Both comets and asteroids orbit the Sun and are smaller than planets. However, asteroids are made up of metals and rocky material whereas comets are composed of ice, dust, and rock. Simply put by NASA, “asteroids are rocky, comets are icy….”

The new comet is named Tsuchinshan-ATLAS after its discoverers, and it may make an appearance in capital area skies for the second half of October. Chances of spotting the comet improve starting October 13, 2024.

Look west 30-60 minutes after sunset for a fuzzy-looking smudge with a tail – that’s the comet. Looking through binoculars or a small telescope is ideal as it will enhance the view, but it might be visible with the naked eye on clear evenings. 

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will appear higher in the sky and set later in the night as it pulls away closer to the end of the month. The best time to observe will be an hour after sunset until the comet sets:

• Oct. 13 - Sunset: 6:35 p.m. | Comet Set: 8:13 p.m.

• Oct. 14 - Sunset: 6:34 p.m. | Comet Set: 8:32 p.m.

• Oct. 15 - Sunset: 6:32 p.m. | Comet Set: 8:50 p.m.

• Oct. 16 - Sunset: 6:31 p.m. | Comet Set: 9:06 p.m.

• Oct. 17 - Sunset: 6:30 p.m. | Comet Set: 9:20 p.m.

• Oct. 18 - Sunset: 6:29 p.m. | Comet Set: 9:32 p.m.

• Oct. 19 - Sunset: 6:28 p.m. | Comet Set: 9:43 p.m.

• Oct. 20 - Sunset: 6:27 p.m. | Comet Set: 9:53 p.m.

• Oct. 21 - Sunset: 6:26 p.m. | Comet Set: 10:01 p.m.

• Oct. 22 - Sunset: 6:25 p.m. | Comet Set: 10:08 p.m.

If you see Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, the Storm Station would love to see your photos and video. Send them in through the Storm Station Weather App, or email them to weather@wbrz.com.

Most objects orbiting the Sun don’t do so in a perfect circle. Orbits tend to be stretched out, forming the shape of an ellipse. This means that planets, asteroids, and even comets hit points that are slightly farther away and closer to the Sun. The closer point is referred to as Perihelion, and comets get their classic appearance as this point is reached.

As a comet draws closer to the Sun, it gets blasted by a highly energized stream charged particles known as the solar wind. This produces a tail of gas and dust directed away from the Sun.

Many comets do not survive a close encounter with the Sun. But Tsuchinshan-ATLAS held together as it reached Perihelion on September 27, 2024. This bodes well for stargazers hoping to catch a glimpse.

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

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On Saturday, LSU Football will kickoff in Tiger Stadium against the Oklahoma Sooners at 6:00pm CST. The Storm Station forecast calls for a kickoff temperature of 51 degrees beneath mostly clear skies. Temperatures will fall through the game and could be in the mid-40s before the contest concludes.  

Since 1960, LSU has competed in 13 home games during the month of November that have kicked off after dark with a temperature below 55 degrees. LSU has won 9 or 69% of those games. The last loss in those conditions was against Arkansas in 2021.

The Storm Station, via a partnership with researchers at LSU’s Department of Geography and Anthropology is launching the exclusive LSU Football Kickoff Weather Index. With team records and weather data dating back to 1960, the index will add two layers of context to gameday weather forecasts. With this information, Storm Station Meteorologists will be able to relate the forecast to weather from past games and how the program has performed in similar conditions. 

Competing in the southern climate, researchers wanted to know if the football team performed better in heat and humidity since those were the conditions most familiar to the players. Project leader Ariana Zerangue collected figures related to game scores, location, temperature and precipitation. She then analyzed that data to identify any underlying trends.

2024 LSU Football Kickoff Weather Index

 

“I was excited to take on this research project because I have always been intrigued by the weather and our atmosphere,” said Zerangue. “This research grabbed my attention because it was a new approach to climatology I had not considered before. I also think it will be an interesting conversation starter at next season’s tailgates!”

As the researchers and fans would expect, LSU Football wins more games in hotter temperatures. The warmer the minimum temperature, the better the outcomes tend to be for the team.

“Changing players, coaching staffs, and even athletics technology make the impacts weather has on games different from year to year,” said Storm Station Chief Meteorologist, Dr. Josh Eachus. “However, trends on the collegiate and professional ranks hold true year after year. “After all, through practice and cumulative competition, these teams are acclimated to the local weather which may ultimately lead to some sort of advantage when conditions are near average.”

“I hope that people will appreciate the influence the weather has on our lives. It is something every LSU student and Baton Rouge resident has in common, and it can be more interesting than small talk! I also hope someone will continue to build on this project to see if there is any further impacts weather has on our football team,” said Zerangue.

The Storm Station and LSU hope to continue adding specifics to the database, building on the research project for years to come. WBRZ Viewers and LSU Football Fans can expect to see the LSU Football Weather Index become a daily part of the gameday forecast through football season. 

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Get your tailgate and LSU gameday forecasts on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you out and rooting on the Fighting Tigers.

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As summer transitions to fall, drops in temperature become more and more frequent. Animals perceive this change also; it is the time of year when birds migrate south.

Fall migration can begin as early as mid-summer, but generally peaks into September and October. The animals fly south during the fall in search of warmer weather. While this is typically in a southward direction, flight paths can be affected by weather and geography.

Birds typically begin to migrate 30 to 45 minutes after the sun goes down. Migration continues through the night, but the greatest number in flight generally occurs two to three hours after sunset.

Migratory patterns can also be monitored using weather radar. Not only does radar detect precipitation, but it can also detect biological echo. Meteorologists tend to dismiss it as ground clutter, but the data can be valuable to ornithologists – those who study birds.

In late 2010, a team from Cornell University and Oregon State University proposed a plan to create a “BirdCast” using machine learning techniques. Applying these methods to existing radar data, bird migration is now estimated in real-time. Plus, BirdCast makes short-term migration forecasts.

On the night of Monday, September 2nd, 2024, nearly 30 million birds are estimated to have been in the state. Of those birds, roughly 22 million crossed through the state toward their final destination. They were generally moving south-southwest at a speed of 24 mph and an altitude of 2,300 feet. Those numbers have dramatically decreased through the week as clouds and rain have impeded their movement. Up to this point in the season, over 100 million birds have crossed through the state. You can find the latest migratory numbers HERE.

If you’re an avid birdwatcher, this means you might see a few more species in the coming weeks. If you snap a cool photo, feel free to share them with the Storm Station by emailing us at weather@wbrz.com or submitting through the Storm Station Weather App.

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

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Despite fall flavors taking over coffee shops and pumpkin decor popping up around town, Astronomical Fall does not officially begin this year until the Autumnal Equinox on September 22nd at 7:43 am. Equinox’s mark the two days a year when the sun is located directly above the equator and there are nearly equal amounts of daylight and nighttime. Beginning September 23rd, we will see daily daylight amounts continue to decline until it hitting a minimum at the Winter Solstice on December 21st.

Shorter days also mean cooler weather. Average high temperatures drop below 90 degrees by mid-September in southern Louisiana but we will not see highs average in the 70s until the end of October. 

Another promising statistic that arrives with fall is the drop in dew-points (a.k.a. humidity levels) as we trek into the cooler months. By October, the average dew-point each day will be in the 60’s which is very comfortable. By November, even drier conditions will persist and we will likely be reaching for chap stick as our bodies and lips adjust to the drier air. 

With lower dew-points, morning lows will also be able to dip cooler each month during the fall. By November 1st, morning lows in the Capital Region will average in the low 50s! 

If you happen to be a summer-lover and are not ready for the change of seasons just yet, there is good news for you. The latest CPC temperature outlook shows moderate confidence that temperatures will remain above average through the end of September. So while we may get a quick “taste” of Fall this weekend (September 7th) in the Capital Area, it will likely be what most of us refer to as “False Fall” around here. We know all too well that summer-like conditions are not uncommon to prevail into the month of October… So hold off on making your gumbo for a little while longer! 

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

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Meteorological Summer has come to an end, and what a hot one it was. Coming off the hottest summer on record in 2023, how does the past three months stack up? That question will be answered here. 

Hottest Summers

It's official, 2024 has had the 2nd hottest summer on record, with an average temperature of 85.6°. This beats 3rd place by a full degree! If not for last year, this summer would have been number one. 

Driest Summers

Thankfully, we have for the most part avoided drought this summer. The last three months have totaled 12.23" of rain. Is this below average, yes, but it is nothing close to 2023. We only had 7.27" of rain, which made it the driest summer on record for the capital area.

Heat & Humidity

The thing we hate most here in southeast Louisiana: the humidity! This is what makes the already hot temperatures feel even hotter. When our heat index is 108° and above, a heat advisory is issued. When this reading is 113° and above, an excessive heat warning is issued. 

The summer of 2024 has totaled 33 heat advisories, and 7 excessive heat warnings. This is actually less heat advisories than 2023, which totaled 29 in the summer months. It was a whole different story with the excessive heat warnings. Last year had 28, which crushes this years number!

90° Days

In southeast Louisiana, we hit 90° a good bit, especially in the summer. On average, we will have 90 days above 90°. Of course 2023 had way more than that, and actually broke the record, with 140 days above 90° degrees. So far this year, we are above average with 107, but we are not on pace to break any records.

Hot & Dry August

August is usually the hottest month of the year, and this year was no exception. Our average temperature was 86.5°, which makes it the 2nd hottest August on record. It was also abnormally dry, with only 2.64" of measured rainfall. Some parts of southeast Louisiana even entered moderate drought conditions.

2023 shattered the August temperature records, with an average temperature of 90.1°. Rainfall wise, it was the 5th driest on record with 1.53"

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

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Recent outlooks for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season have called for an extremely active season. Forecasters cite near-record warm ocean waters and a developing La Niña as reasons for the high number of projected storms.

While overall activity is predominately determined by these variables, there is another feature of interest. A region of cooler water along the Equator in the eastern Atlantic has formed in the last several weeks.

Cool Tongue of Atlantic Water

The area in question is nowhere near the United States. Rather, it deals with a narrow corridor along the Equator near the African coast. Cooling of these waters during the summer months is not abnormal. Westward moving trade winds tend to increase in the summer as a narrow region of tropical thunderstorms migrates north. The interaction of those winds with the ocean water reduces some of the warmth. However, the tongue of cooler water can be more or less significant in any given year.

2024 began with incredibly warm ocean waters in the eastern Equatorial Atlantic, but a rapid transition to relatively cooler water was observed in June and July. In fact, this was the quickest transition in recorded history. Strangely, this cooling coincided with a weakening of trade winds, which would typically result in the opposite. The scientific community is unsure why this is happening. More research needs to be conducted to understand the event.

If these waters continue to cool, an “Atlantic Niña” might be declared. Similar to how a La Niña is an abnormal cooling of the waters in the Eastern Pacific along the Equator, an Atlantic Niña would be the Atlantic counterpart.

Effect on the Atlantic Hurricane Season

The region that could experience the potential Atlantic Niña, with abnormally cool waters, lies along the Equator. This is not in the tropics where hurricanes form. There, the water is still quite warm.

Even so, research has shown that an Atlantic Niña tends to reduce precipitation of the Gulf of Guinea region of Africa. This in turn reduces the number of tropical waves coming off the African coast, potentially limiting the number of tropical cyclones.

The opposite phenomenon, the Atlantic Niño, is linked to a higher number of African easterly tropical waves. This increases the likelihood of hurricane activity.

So the Atlantic Niño/Niña primarily affects hurricane development by regulating the number of tropical waves pushing off the African coast. However, it says nothing about tropical waves originating elsewhere – like the Caribbean Sea or Gulf of Mexico.

2024 Still Likely An Active Season

Even though the Atlantic Niño/Niña plays a role on influencing the development of hurricanes originating from the African coast, overall Atlantic activity is still predominately influenced by the classic El Niño or La Niña. It is more likely that the stage is set by El Niño and La Niña, and then adjusted by the Atlantic counterpart.

With a La Niña developing as peak hurricane season gets closer for 2024, this would favor an active season. However, an Atlantic Niña might pull back on what would otherwise be a hyperactive season. And this is if the Atlantic Niña truly develops; the jury is still out on that.

Active season or not, it only takes one landfalling storm to make it active for you. Now is a great time to make sure you’re prepared to act if a hurricane were to take aim at the state.

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

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A relatively rare phenomenon will occur Monday night. The name for it: Super Blue Moon. This is a combination of a Supermoon and Blue Moon.

A Supermoon happens when the Moon reaches its closest point to Earth in its orbit, making the Moon appear bigger and brighter in the sky. Each year brings roughly 3 to 4 Supermoons.

A Blue Moon is trickier since there are multiple ways to define it. The most commonly used definition is the 2nd full moon within a calendar month. A much less commonly seen definition is the third of four full moons within a season. This year's Blue Moon meets the second, less common definition. Either way, it has nothing to do with the color of the Moon.

The reason the event is rare: the combination of a super moon and blue moon don't always overlap. This happens once every 10-20 years, on average. The moon will rise at 8:01 pm Monday night, and set at 7:24 am Tuesday morning. 

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

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Eight years ago, one of the most impactful weather events in southeast Louisiana history occurred. This was the Great Flood of 2016, and its legacy has left a lasting impact on all who experienced it. The event proved that it does not take a named tropical system to do tremendous damage.

In August of 2016, the National Hurricane Center was tracking a disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico. This system had a chance of developing into a tropical depression before it moved inland but ran out of time to do so. Carried along with this disturbance was tons of tropical moisture, all of which would eventually move into southeast Louisiana.

Early on Friday, August 12, 2016, lots of heavy rain with impressive rainfall rates began to spread inland. The rain was unrelenting, and flash flooding quickly developed and became widespread. The heaviest of the rain fell during the first half of the day. Although rain rates moderated for the rest of the day, rain continued. Flash flooding already was causing damage, but the greatest threat had not yet been realized.

The next day, the moderate rain continued and lasted throughout much of the day. This added to the rain totals, with runoff causing many rivers to rise at an extremely rapid pace. These rivers quickly exceeded the flood stage, and this caught many people off guard. The water rose at such a rapid pace that many had to be rescued via helicopter. 

On Sunday, August 14, 2016, many rivers reached record high levels. This is when the river flooding was at its worst. Many homes and businesses were flooded with water, even if located many miles away from any river. As water levels began to recede in the following week, people returned to their homes and businesses to find extensive damage.

In all, 20-30"+ inches of rain fell within 48 hours. This caused flooding that can only be described as catastrophic. 146,000 homes were damaged by the flood waters. The economic impact totaled 8.7 billion dollars. The saddest part, at least 13 people lost their lives. This event will never be forgotten. This is especially true for the people that experienced this event firsthand.

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

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UPDATE - There have been developments with this system. You can find the latest on the storm from the Storm Station HERE.

ORIGINAL STORY: The National Hurricane Center has begun issuing advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone (P.T.C.) Five, located a little less than 1000 miles east of the Lesser Antilles. The "potential tropical cyclone" terminology is used when a disturbance has yet to acquire tropical characteristics, but will likely do so within 48 hours and impact land. This allows the National Hurricane Center to begin issuing tropical alerts. 

P.T.C. Five will continue to move west in the coming days and intensify. The system will likely become a tropical storm early in the week. Once that happens, it will take the name Ernesto.

A landfall somewhere in the Leeward Island chain and possibly Puerto Rico could occur by midweek as the storm intensifies to near-hurricane strength. Most available data favor a recurve scenario toward the general direction of Bermuda thereafter. Thus, U.S. impacts are unlikely aside from rough surf and an elevated rip current risk along the East Coast. Gulf Coast impacts are even less likely. No impacts are anticipated in Louisiana at this time.

The Storm Station is here for you, tracking the tropics on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go. You can also find tropical updates on our Hurricane Center HERE.

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Keep an eye to the sky this weekend, you might see a shooting star. Often referred to as the best meteor shower of the year, the Perseids peak on the night of Sunday, August 11th, 2024 where up to 100 meteors could be visible per hour.

Even with the peak on Sunday night, meteors can still happen in the days before and after, but at a lesser rate per hour. For that reason, be on the lookout for them in the night sky over the weekend.

The best viewing times will be after midnight once the Moon dips below the horizon. Moonlight could wash out meteor streaks while the Moon still maintains a position in the sky. The Perseid meteor shower in 2016 brought several hundred meteors per hour – because there was no moonlight. City lights can also limit the number of visible streaks. Optimal viewing locations are away from urban settings.

The Perseid meteor shower happens every year in the mid-July to late-August timeframe, peaking somewhere between. The shower gets its name because it appears in the general direction of the constellation Perseus.

Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through a trail of dust and debris left behind by a comet or asteroid. During summer in the Northern Hemisphere, Earth is at a point in its orbit where it passes through the Perseid cloud, a stream of debris behind left by the comet Swift-Tuttle. The debris slices through Earth’s atmosphere at 37 miles per second, burning up as it does so. This produces a streak of light which is observable as a meteor.

Want to watch the Perseids with others? The Highland Road Park Observatory will be holding an event starting at 10 p.m. on Sunday, August 11^th. The Observatory grounds will be open until 2 a.m. for viewing.

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

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UPDATE - 8/8/2024, 12:30 p.m.: Just days after Colorado State University released their final update to the hurricane season outlook, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has done the same. There are very few changes to the original forecast. The latest outlook calls for 17-24 named storms, 8-13 hurricanes, and 4-7 major hurricanes. This is well above the average of 14 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes.

NOAA notes that atmospheric and oceanic conditions are setting the stage for what could be an extremely active hurricane season. NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad, Ph.D said "NOAA’s update to the hurricane seasonal outlook is an important reminder that the peak of hurricane season is right around the corner, when historically the most significant impacts from hurricanes and tropical storms tend to occur."

ORIGINAL STORY: The final update to the 2024 Hurricane Season Outlook from Colorado State University has been posted. Their forecast now calls for 23 named storms, 12 hurricanes, and 6 major hurricanes. This update shows 2 fewer total named storms while the number of hurricanes and major hurricanes remains the same. 

An extremely active season is still anticipated in the coming months due to the near record warm sea surface temperatures which makes for an extremely conducive environment for storms to form and develop in. CSU states "This forecast is of above-normal confidence. We anticipate a well above-average probability for major hurricane landfalls along the continental United States coastline and in the Caribbean." As of the first week of August, there have officially been 4 named storms this season, but peak hurricane season is not upon us yet. Most tropical activity develops in late August through October in the Atlantic. 

The researchers at Colorado State University and the Storm Station remind that “it only takes one hurricane making landfall to make it an active season,” so prepare accordingly. What was seen with Beryl is a great reminder of that. There have been seasons with a lot of storms but few impacts to land and seasons with few storms but a lot of impacts to land. For more on the season ahead and preparedness, visit wbrz.com/weather and click on the hurricane center.

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Hurricane Debby made landfall near Steinhatchee, Florida around 6:00 am CDT Monday morning as a Category 1 storm with peak winds around 80 mph. The storm will move inland on Monday and will weaken as it does so. Life-threatening storm surge, high winds, heavy rain, and tornadoes are possible in the region. This is the 9th year on record with 2 or more hurricane landfalls in the continental United States by August 5th (2020, 2005, 1959, 1936, 1934, 1916, 1909, 1886).

Debby will reach southern Georgia by Monday night and then slow its forward motion by midweek, stalling over the Southeast Coast. This will bring enormous amounts of rain to coastal Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Flooding is likely in those areas, even with Debby weakening to tropical storm status. No direct impacts are expected in Louisiana at this time.

This is a developing story. You can find the latest information on the storm in the most recent Storm Station Weather Blog found HERE.

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

 

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Hurricane Beryl made landfall near Matagorda, Texas shortly before 4 a.m. Monday. At landfall, the hurricane was at Category 1 strength with peak winds at 80 mph. The storm will continue to move inland on Monday and will weaken as it does so. Life-threatening storm surge, heavy rainfall, and tropical storm to hurricane-force winds have already been reported and will spread inland into east Texas Monday morning.

This is the third landfall in the storm’s history. Beryl made landfall on the island of Carriacou in Grenada as a high-end Category 4 hurricane on July 1st with peak winds at 150 mph. Afterward, the system intensified into a Category 5 storm as if continued west through the Caribbean Sea. The storm managed to weaken further as it brushed past Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. The storm then made landfall in the Yucatan Peninsula on Friday morning as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds at 110 mph.

Beryl will become post-tropical by Tuesday and get swept away by an upper-level westerly wind. This will help bring additional moisture to southeast Louisiana, increasing both rain coverage and the heavy rain risk through midweek. This is a developing story. You can find the latest information on the storm in the most recent Storm Station Weather Blog found HERE.

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

 

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Hurricane Beryl became a Category 5 hurricane on Monday evening with maximum sustained winds at 160 mph. This is the earliest Category 5 storm in the Atlantic since 1851, which replaces the old record of Hurricane Emily from 2005 which became a Category 5 hurricane on July 17th.

This comes after Beryl became the earliest Category 4 storm in the Atlantic Basin on Sunday, beating Hurricane Dennis from 2005 which reached Category 4 strength on July 8th.

Beryl continues to move west into the Caribbean Sea. Fortunately, the storm is forecast to weaken through the week.

This is a developing story. You can find the latest tropical updates in the most recent Storm Station Weather Blog found HERE.

The Storm Station is here for you, on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go.

 

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Tropical Storm Debby is in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. This storm has winds topping out at 65 mph and it is moving NNW at 13 mph. Debby will track through the eastern Gulf of Mexico, before making landfall as a Hurricane early Monday. This system poses no direct threat to Louisiana.

Hurricane Hunter aircraft observations indicate that Debby continues to intensify over the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Satellite imagery shows that the cloud pattern is becoming better developed with increasing deep convection near the center of circulation, and radar data indicate that an eyewall is beginning to form. The current intensity estimate is estimated to be 55 knots based on a significant drop in central pressure reported the aircraft.

The cyclone has been turning gradually to the right and the initial motion is north-northwestward or 330/11 kt. Over the next day or so, Debby should move through a weakness in the mid-level subtropical ridge over the southeastern United States and reach the northeast Gulf of Mexico coast in the Florida Big Bend region on Monday. After the system makes landfall, the steering currents are likely to weaken as a trough over the northeastern U.S. moves eastward from the area, which should result in a decrease in forward speed. There is significant uncertainty in the track of Debby in the 2-5 day time frame. Much of the track guidance keeps the center over the southeastern U.S. for the next several days as a ridge builds in over the Carolinas. The official track forecast is similar to the previous one. This keeps the slow-moving center near the Georgia and South Carolina coast in the 3 to 5 day time-frame.

Debby will be moving over very warm waters and in a low-vertical shear environment prior to landfall. Therefore significant strengthening is likely through tonight, especially if the cyclone forms a well-defined inner core The official forecast is near the high side of the objective guidance and calls for the system to become a hurricane within 12 hours. The cyclone will weaken after it moves inland, but since the system will not be far from the coastline for the next few days, it is not predicted to fall below tropical storm strength through 72 hours.

The Storm Station is here for you, tracking the tropics on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go. You can also find tropical updates on our Hurricane Center HERE.

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UPDATE - 10 a.m. Sunday: Beryl has strengthen to Category 3 strength, becoming a major hurricane. This is a developing story. Future information on the storms can be found in the latest Storm Station Weather Blog HERE.

UPDATE - 3:45 p.m. Saturday: Beryl becomes first hurricane of 2024 season. It is forecasted to intensify rapidly and become a hurricane before reaching the Windward Islands by Sunday night or Monday morning. While still not posing an immediate threat to southern Louisiana, it will be something the Storm Station continues to monitor over the coming days. 

ORIGINAL STORY: Tropical Depression Two has formed in the Tropical Atlantic. The storm has peak winds at 35 mph and is located roughly 1200 miles from Barbados. Two is moving west at a fast rate of 21 mph.

The system will likely strengthen to a tropical storm by Saturday, taking the name Beryl once that happens. A landfall as a hurricane in the Lesser Antilles is possible early next week. After that, confidence is high that the system will generally move in a westward direction into the Caribbean Sea. Uncertainty grows as to where the storm will go thereafter.

There is still a lot of time to monitor the progression of the system. At this time, there is no cause for worry locally at this stage. Nevertheless, the Storm Station is watching the system closely and will post further updates if anything changes.

Tropical storm formation in this part of the Atlantic is highly unusual for late June and early July. Storms origins like this are more typical of August and September.

The Storm Station is here for you, tracking the tropics on every platform. Your weather updates can be found on News 2, wbrz.com, and the WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device. Follow WBRZ Weather on Facebook and Twitter for even more weather updates while you are on the go. You can also find tropical updates on our Hurricane Center HERE.

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