Welcome to hurricane season:
Tropical Storm Andrea has formed in the Gulf of Mexico, with 40 MPH winds and extremely heavy rain. The story with Andrea won't be wind, but rather rain. Extremely heavy rainfall is expected over the southeastern United States over the next couple of days, leading to a potential for flash flooding.
From the National Hurricane Center:
HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
WIND...TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO FIRST REACH THE COAST WITHIN THE WARNING AREA BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON...MAKING OUTSIDE PREPARATIONS DIFFICULT OR DANGEROUS.
STORM SURGE...THE COMBINATION OF A STORM SURGE AND THE TIDE WILL CAUSE NORMALLY DRY AREAS NEAR THE COAST TO BE FLOODED BY RISING WATERS. THE WATER COULD REACH THE FOLLOWING HEIGHTS ABOVE GROUND IF THE PEAK SURGE OCCURS AT THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE...
TAMPA BAY NORTHWARD TO APALACHICOLA...2 TO 4 FT
FLORIDA WEST COAST SOUTH OF TAMPA BAY...1 TO 2 FT
THE DEEPEST WATER WILL OCCUR ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST NEAR AND TO THE SOUTH OF THE LANDFALL LOCATION. SURGE-RELATED FLOODING DEPENDS ON THE RELATIVE TIMING OF THE SURGE AND THE TIDAL CYCLE...AND CAN VARY GREATLY OVER SHORT DISTANCES. FOR INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...PLEASE SEE PRODUCTS ISSUED BY YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.
RAINFALL...ANDREA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES OVER MUCH OF THE FLORIDA PENINSULA...EASTERN PARTS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE...AND SOUTHEASTERN GEORGIA...WITH ISOLATED MAXIMUM AMOUNTS OF 8 INCHES POSSIBLE. TOTAL RAIN ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES ARE ALSO EXPECTED OVER EASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA AND EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
TORNADOES...ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE FLORIDA PENINSULA LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY.
In other words, rain, rain, more rain, and flooding. Here's the 7-day rainfall forecast (in inches) from the
Weather Prediction Center.
Keep up with the National Hurricane Center and your local NWS office for the latest on this storm.
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4:28 PM PT: Tropical Storm Andrea formed in the most climatologically-ideal spot for tropical development in June.
Storms tend to form close to North America early and late in the season. It's not until we get towards the hotter summer months do they start to form out in the middle of the ocean.