Beachcast

Here are some expected coastal conditions from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida:

HIGH RIP CURRENT THREAT THROUGH SUNDAY
Double red flags are flying all along the beaches of Alabama and Northwest Florida. The beaches at Gulf Shores are closed, as well as many others most likely. Please do not try to swim in the increasingly dangerous surf.

TONIGHT
Tropical moisture has already moved northward into the coastal waters tonight from the coastal Louisiana eastward across the waters south of Mississippi, Alabama and Northwest Florida. Convergence from the circulation of Karen moving northward is producing the showers. This activity will probably weaken as the circulation slowly moves north. It is muggy along the coast, with dewpoints in the lower and middle 70s.

FRIDAY
Skies will be mostly cloudy with an increasing easterly or southeasterly wind. Those winds will start out around 10 mph and increase to 10-20 mph during the day and to 20-25 mph after midnight. There will be some gusts in excess of 25 mph late in the evening through the overnight. The chance of rain and storms will be about 30 percent through Friday and Friday night.

SATURDAY
Rain and storms will increase rapidly on Saturday, as will winds and waves.
NEW ORLEANS: NE winds 25-40 with gusts to 50 mph. Tropical storm force winds could begin as early as 10 a.m., but the tropical storm force winds should end before dark in the Crescent City. New Orleans will be on the dry side of the storm and should see around one inch of rain.
COASTAL ALABAMA/PENSACOLA: SE Winds 25-50 mph with gusts to 65 mph. Tropical storm force winds should begin around noon in coastal areas and mid-afternoon in Mobile and Pensacola. Expect about 18 hours of tropical storm force winds with the peak winds between 4-8 hours of winds above 50 mph. Tides will begin rising to 2-4 feet above normal. High rip tide risk will continue. Showers and storms becoming likely. Rainfall amounts will average three inches Saturday, with over four inches in spots.
FORT WALTON/DESTIN/30A: Winds will increase during the day, reaching 25-40 mph during the afternoon, with tropical storm force winds up to 50 mph during the overnight hours beginning around 8-11 p.m. Expect 8-10 hours of tropical storm force winds. Increasing showers and storms. About two inches of rain.
PANAMA CITY: SE winds will increase from 10-20 mph during the day and to southerly around 25 mph during the evening. Increasing showers and storms. About three quarters of an inch of rain Saturday from showers and storms.

SUNDAY
NEW ORLEANS: Partly sunny with a northwest wind around 10 mph. Slight chance of a shower/storm.
COASTAL ALABAMA/PENSACOLA: Mostly cloudy with diminishing showers/storms. Northwesterly winds decreasing, going below tropical storm force before dawn. Seas and rip currents will be slow to subside.
FORT WALTON/DESTIN/30A: Diminishing southwesterly winds. Mostly cloudy with a good chance of showers and storms. Still high rip current risk.

Category: Tropical