A couple walks along the beach on Thursday Oct. 3 2013 in Gulfport Miss. Preparations are underway along the Gulf Coast as Tropical Storm Karen approaches land.(Photo Amanda Mccoy)
Story HighlightsThe storm could briefly reach hurricane strength before hitting land.It now has winds of 60 mph.The storm should bring heavy rain with the potential for storm surge.Although weakening Tropical Storm Karen continued its path toward the Gulf Coast Friday with landfall expected sometime late Saturday or early Sunday morning.
As of 11 a.m. Friday Karen had maximum winds of 50 mph according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. The storm was about 250 miles south southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River and was moving north northwest at 10 mph.
The storm could become a hurricane as it approaches land. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when its winds reach 74 mph. However according to the latest bulletin from the hurricane center it has become a little less likely that Karen will reach hurricane strength.
INTERACTIVE STORM TRACKER Track the projected path of Karen
A hurricane watch was in effect from Grand Isle La. to west of Destin Fla. A tropical storm warning was issued for the Louisiana coast from Morgan City to the mouth of the Pearl River. A tropical storm watch was in effect for metropolitan New Orleans.
Karen would be the second named storm to hit the U.S. this year with the first being Tropical Storm Andrea which hit Florida in June. Karen is the 11th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season. Only two of the storms have become hurricanes.
Near and just east of where Karen makes landfall minor coastal flooding is possible AccuWeather meteorologist Michael Doll reports. Wind gusts close to 65 mph can cause minor property damage downed trees and power outages.
The highest odds of tropical storm force winds (a 66% chance) will be at the tip of the Mississippi River at Buras La. according to meteorologist Jeff Masters of the Weather Underground. He adds that New Orleans Gulfport Mobile and Pensacola have odds ranging from 47% 51%.
A storm surge of from 3 5 feet is possible from the mouth of the Mississippi over to Mobile Bay the hurricane center predicts. Offshore waves at beaches in the Florida Panhandle may reach 8 to 12 feet high as Karen approaches according to the National Weather Service.
As for rainfall Karen is expected to produce rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 Inches over portions of the central and eastern Gulf coast through Sunday night mainly near and to the right of the path of the storm's center the hurricane center says. Isolated storm total amounts of 10 inches are possible.
Once the storm moves inland later Saturday it should dump rain across the Southeast and mid Atlantic Monday.
In Alabama safety workers Thursday hoisted double red flags at Gulf Shores because of treacherous rip currents ahead of the storm.
In Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant declared a state of emergency urging residents to prepare. because of the potential winds. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal also declared a state of emergency citing the possibility of high winds heavy rain and tides. Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared an emergency for 18 counties.
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Traffic at the mouth of the Mississippi River was stopped Friday morning in advance of the storm.
The Army Corps of Engineers said it was closing a structure intended to keep storm surge out of the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal in Louisiana known locally as the Industrial Canal where levee breaches during Hurricane Katrina led to catastrophic flooding in 2005.
Mayor David Camardelle of Grand Isle La. an inhabited barrier island and tourist town about 60 miles south of New Orleans called for voluntary evacuations as he declared an emergency Thursday afternoon.
Offshore at least two oil companies said they were evacuating non essential personnel and securing rigs and platforms.
In Washington the White House said the Federal Emergency Management Agency was recalling some workers furloughed due to the government shutdown to prepare for the storm.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said President Barack Obama was being updated about the storm. He said Obama directed his team to ensure staffing and resources are available to respond to the storm.
Contributing Associated Press
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