The second named storm of the 2015 Atlantic tropical storm and hurricane season formed a few hours ago, as tropical storm Bill gained sufficient organisation in the Gulf of Mexico to be named on its way to the Texas coastline.
Update: The latest information from the NOAA shows tropical storm Bill has intensified slightly as it approaches the Texas coast. The storm now has maximum sustained winds of 60mph.
Original article:
Tropical storm Bill formed out of a low pressure area that moved northwards from the Bay of Campeche, bringing significant moisture with it. The warm seas of the Gulf of Mexico have been sufficient fuel to intensify the depression into a named storm and now it threatens Texas with intense rainfall that could bring back the flooding issue the state suffered a few weeks ago.
Currently tropical storm Bill has sustained winds of around 50mph, with some higher gusts, and is located around 100 miles off the Texas coast. The center of Bill is expected to cross the coastline in the morning hours after which weakening is expected. The NHC forecasts a 2 to 4 foot storm surge is possible.
Tropical storm Bill forecast path and storm track
However it is the rain that is thought to be the major threat, with some forecasts suggesting isolated rainfall totals as high as 12 inches in Texas. More widely between 2 and 8 inches of rainfall are expected along Bill’s path as the storm moves inland.
The potential extent of rainfall impacts from tropical storm Bill are perhaps best seen from these images tweeted by atmospheric scientist Ryan Maue, of WeatherBill.
Pinpoint Rainfall forecasts not useful with TS #Bill. Good case for ensemble probabilities. Wide area threat > 2″ pic.twitter.com/ODXIfY5X8h
— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) June 16, 2015
3 day QPF or rainfall from Bill … plenty more as system only gets to Illinois/Indiana by late Thursday pic.twitter.com/3nZ7yD53EN
— Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) June 16, 2015
Tropical storm Bill, as the second named storm of the 2015 Atlantic tropical storm and hurricane season may not threaten damage from its winds, but its rainfall totals, in a region already drenched in recent weeks, could result in flooding damage.
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Tropical storm Bill satellite image
