Tropical Storm Barry Forms in Bay of Campeche

Posted on June 19, 2013

The 2013 Hurricane Season is off to a quick start. There are now already two storms in June. The average for the number of storms in June is .5 named storms. The National Hurricane Center announced that Tropical Storm Barry has formed in the southern Bay of Campeche with the 4 pm CDT advisory. The NHC says data from an Air Force reconnaissance plane found winds of at least 35 knots, which is enough to upgrade TD Two to Tropical Storm Barry.

ATELLITE IMAGERY AND DATA FROM AN AIR FORCE RECONNAISSANCE PLANE INDICATE THAT THE TROPICAL DEPRESSION IN THE SOUTHERN BAY OF CAMPECHE STRENGTHENED AND IS NOW TROPICAL STORM BARRY...THE SECOND NAMED CYCLONE OF THE 2013 SEASON. SFMR AND FLIGHT-LEVEL WINDS FROM THE AIRCRAFT YIELD AN INITIAL INTENSITY OF 35 KNOTS. SOME SFMR VALUES WERE A LITTLE HIGHER...BUT THESE WINDS WERE RAIN CONTAMINATED AND WERE DISCARDED. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR BARRY TO STRENGTHEN SLIGHTLY JUST BEFORE LANDFALL DURING THE NEXT 12 TO 18 HOURS. RAPID WEAKENING IS ANTICIPATED AFTER THE CENTER MOVES INLAND...BUT RAINS WILL CONTINUE.

Barry is expected to make landfall in Mexico in the state of Veracruz. The NHC says the main threat will be heavy rain. The NHC 5-day track shows Barry headed westward into Mexico.

WEATHER