Tropical Storm Bonnie

Earlier this afternoon, Tropical Depression #3 was upgraded to Tropical Storm Bonnie.

At this time the storm is very disorganized and is encountering some wind shear on the west side of the system. As you can see from the satellite image, most of the showers and storms are displaced along the northeast side of the low pressure center.


Bonnie will continue on its westward track and has its sights set on the Gulf of Mexico.

This is not good news for the horizon oil spill sight, which will be impacted by the storm, regardless of whether or not Bonnie moves directly overhead. As of late this afternoon, the U.S. government ordered ships to evacuate the oil spill, as heavy rain and gusty winds are expected to arrive by Friday evening.

The big question everyone has is 'where will Bonnie go?'

According the the official forecast track from the National Hurricane Center, Bonnie looks to be a threat along the Gulf coast states. She could make landfall anywhere from the mouth of the Mississippi to as far west as the upper Texas coast.

Notice that we are in the forecast cone of uncertainty. Keep in mind that this forecast cone will shift over the next few days as computer models try to get a better handle on the storm and the steering currents coming into play.

Nevertheless, you should be monitoring this storm closely as we head into the weekend. Even if it does not strengthen into a hurricane, we could still feel some of Bonnie's effects in the form of heavy rain and gusty winds.

Make sure you check out our Hurricane Center to get the latest updates 24/7 on the storm. We will continue to provide extensive coverage on KTRE-TV as well, keeping you informed with the latest information.