Friday, June 25, 2010

Tropical depression heading towards Yucatan; effect on oil spill uncertain

The Associated Press reports:
The first tropical depression of the Atlantic 2010 hurricane season has formed in the Western Caribbean, but it is unclear if it will pass over the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said Friday that the depression has winds of about 35 mph (55 kph).

A tropical storm warning is in effect for the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. The peninsula separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico. The warning is in effect in Mexico from Chetumal north to Cancun.

The depression is on track to reach the peninsula by late Saturday. It is about 345 miles (555 km) east-southeast of Chemtumal.

In the Gulf, the spill has been put at somewhere between 69 million and 132 million gallons in the water.
Here's the latest map from the National Hurricane Center, including the "cone of uncertainty":


Here's a map showing what computer models are currently predicting:

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