The 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season has its first tropical storm of the season which formed just five days into the six month long tropical season. As we suggested here last Friday, the disturbance in the southern Gulf of Mexico, largely consisting of remnants of Pacific storm Barbara, has now developed into the first storm of the Atlantic year, as tropical storm Andrea.
Note: Updated 5am EST / 10am GMT as maximum sustained winds increased to 60mph and minimum central pressure dropped to 997mb in latest NOAA update.
Tropical storm Andrea formed late yesterday in the mid to northern Gulf of Mexico and is currently located around 225 miles SSW of the western coast of Florida. Andrea is heading NNE at around 13mph carrying maximum sustained winds of 60mph at this point in time and the minimum central pressure is 997mb. Tropical storm force winds within Andrea extend outwards up to 140 miles from the center.
The forecast track shows tropical storm Andrea making landfall on the west coast of northern Florida, in the panhandle, and a tropical storm warning is currently in effect from Boca Grande to Ochlocknee River. You can see tropical storm Andrea’s latest position and forecast path below.
Tropical Storm Andrea location and forecast path and track
The center of tropical storm Andrea is expected to make landfall in the Florida Big Bend area late on Thursday and the storm will then move inland across Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina by Friday. The main threats from tropical storm Andrea are wind gusts, the storm is not expected to intensify significantly, a 2 to 4 foot storm surge in some areas and rainfall amounts of between 3 and 8 inches locally as Andrea moves over land.
So an early start to the 2013 tropical storm season, as Andrea brings an early warning to Florida and serves as an early reminder of the threat that the tropics pose to the insurance, reinsurance and catastrophe bond sectors. Insured losses are to be expected, as with any tropical storm making landfall on the U.S. coastline, but at this stage are expected to be light.
You can track tropical storm Andrea and every other storm of the season on our page covering the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
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