Cristobal: Storm weakens to tropical depression as it moves over southeastern Louisiana

Forecasters are keeping an eye on the Gulf of Mexico as Cristobal moves along the northern U.S. Gulf Coast.

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Tropical Storm Cristobal A wave crashes as a man stands on a jetty near Orleans Harbor in Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans, Sunday, June 7, 2020, as Tropical Storm Cristobal approaches the Louisiana Coast. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Cristobal, the third named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, formed Tuesday in the southwest Gulf of Mexico and was downgraded temporarily after making landfall as a tropical storm in Mexico. Cristobal regained tropical storm strength early Saturday.

Cristobal again made landfall over southeast Louisiana on Sunday evening and weakened to a tropical depression early Monday.

Here are the latest updates:

Storm surge warning canceled as Cristobal continues to move inland

Update 8 a.m. EDT June 8: A storm surge warning along the U.S. Gulf Coast has been canceled as Tropical Depression Cristobal continued to move inland Monday morning, the National Weather Service said.

In its 8 a.m. EDT advisory, the agency said the system, which was located about 50 miles south-southeast of Monroe, had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. It was moving north-northwest at 10 mph.

Read the full advisory here.

Cristobal weakens to tropical depression

Update 5 a.m. EDT June 8: Cristobal weakened to a tropical depression early Monday as it moved father inland across southeastern Louisiana, the National Weather Service said.

In its 5 a.m. EDT advisory, the agency said the system, which was located about 40 miles north of Baton Rouge, brought heavy rainfall and storm surge to the Gulf Coast from southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle. The storm, which had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph, was moving north-northwest at 10 mph.

Read the full advisory here.

Tropical storm continues to weaken as it moves over southeastern Louisiana

Update 2 a.m. EDT June 8: Tropical Storm Cristobal continued to weaken early Monday as it moved father inland across southeastern Louisiana, the National Weather Service said.

In its 2 a.m. EDT advisory, the agency said the system, which was located about 35 miles northwest of New Orleans, brought heavy rainfall and storm surge to the Gulf Coast from southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle. The storm, which had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph, was moving north-northwest at 10 mph.

Read the full advisory here.

Storm weakens as it moves over southeastern Louisiana

Update 11:04 p.m. EDT June 7: Tropical Storm Cristobal began to weaken on Sunday night as it lurched across southeastern Louisiana, the National Weather Service said.

Heavy rainfall and storm surge will continue along the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle.

The storm’s maximum sustained winds have decreased to 45 mph while its movement has sped up to 10 mph.

Storm makes landfall over Louisiana

Update 6:54 p.m. EDT June 7: Tropical Storm Cristobal has made landfall over southeast Louisiana, the National Weather Service said.

Hazardous weather conditions are expected to continue along the Gulf Coast through Sunday, the weather service said.

Tropical storm-force winds lash Gulf Coast

Update 5:02 p.m. EDT June 7: Tropical storm-force winds are lashing the Gulf Coast as Cristobal pours heavy rainfall and its storm surge inundate southeastern Louisiana east toward Mississippi and Alabama, the National Weather Service said.

The storm has 50 mph sustained winds and is moving at about 7 mph. It is about 65 miles south of New Orleans.

Tropical storm slows down as it approaches Louisiana coast

Update 2 p.m. EDT June 7: Tropical Storm Cristobal slowed down as it neared the Louisiana coast Sunday afternoon, and residents braced for heavy rainfall and storm surges as the third named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season prepared for landfall.

The storm continues to move north but its forward speed has slowed to 5 mph, the National Hurricane Center said in its 2 p.m. EDT intermediate advisory. Maximum wind speed remained at 50 mph near the eye of the storm.

Storm surges and heavy rainfall is expected from southeastern Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, according to the National Hurricane Center. The next advisory will be issued at 5 p.m. EDT.

Trump will sign emergency aid declaration for Louisiana

Update 11:35 a.m. EDT June 7: President Donald Trump said on Twitter that he will be approving and signing an emergency declaration to assist Louisiana with cleanup efforts that might be necessitated by Tropical Storm Cristobal.

Tropical storm moving closer to New Orleans

Update 11 a.m. EDT June 7: Tropical Storm Cristobal continued to batter southeast Louisiana as it inched closer to the mainland.

In its 11 a.m. EDT advisory, the National Hurricane Center said the eye of the storm was 90 miles south of New Orleans, packing sustained winds of 50 mph. The storm continued to move north at 12 mph.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center expect the storm to weaken once it makes landfall Sunday afternoon or Sunday evening.

Tropical storm-force winds passing over southeast Louisiana

Update 8 a.m. EDT June 7: Squalls with tropical storm-force winds slammed southeast Louisiana as Cristobal churned toward the Gulf Coast, the National Weather Service said Sunday.

In its 8 a.m. EDT advisory, the agency said the storm, located about 70 miles south of Grand Isle, was moving northward at 12 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.

Read the full advisory here.

Outer rainbands continue to spread across northern Gulf Coast

Update 5 a.m. EDT June 7: The outer rainbands from Tropical Storm Cristobal continued to spread across portions of the northern Gulf Coast, the National Weather Service said Sunday.

In its 5 a.m. EDT advisory, the agency said squalls with tropical storm-force winds had reached the mouth of the Mississippi River.

The storm, located about 140 miles south-southwest of the river, was moving northward at 12 mph and had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph.

Read the full advisory here.

Outer rainbands from Cristobal move across parts of Gulf Coast

Update 8:16 p.m. EDT June 6: Outer rainbands from Cristobal are moving across parts of the Gulf Coast prompting a storm surge warning, the National Weather Service said.

A storm surge warning is in effect for parts of Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida including from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, Mississippi; Lake Borge, Mississippi; Intracoastal City, Louisiana to the Florida line in Okaloosa/Walton County; Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.

A storm surge watch is also in effect in Morgan City, Louisiana.

Weather along Gulf expected to deteriorate Saturday night

Update 2:02 p.m. EDT June 6: Tropical storm Cristobal inched closer to the northern Gulf coastline Saturday afternoon, and the National Hurricane Center said in its 2 p.m. EDT intermediate advisory that weather conditions “could deteriorate” sometime Saturday night.

At 2 p.m., Cristobal’s strength and speed remained the same, with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. The storm was moving north at 12 mph, and its center was located 310 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River.

A tropical storm warning remained in effect from Intracoastal City, Louisiana, to the Okaloosa/Walton County line on the Florida Panhandle, the National Hurricane Center said. Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas also were under a tropical storm warning.

A storm surge warning is in effect from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, the National Hurricane Center said.

The next advisory by the National Hurricane Center is 5 p.m. EDT.

Cristobal continues to churn northward in Gulf of Mexico

Update 11:03 a.m. EDT June 6: Tropical storm Cristobal continued to churn northward in the Gulf of Mexico, packing sustained winds of 50 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center’s 11 a.m. advisory.

Cristobal was moving north at 12 mph, and the eye of the storm was located 345 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River.

A tropical storm warning was extended and now includes the area from Intracoastal City, Louisiana, to the Okaloosa/Walton County line on the Florida Panhandle, the National Hurricane Center said.

Cristobal strengthens slightly; tropical storm warnings posted

Update 8:10 a.m. EDT June 6: Tropical Storm Cristobal strengthened slightly Saturday morning, according to the National Hurricane Center’s intermediate advisory at 8 a.m. EDT. The third named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season now packs sustained winds of 50 mph and continues to move north. The forward speed of the storm has slowed to 12 mph.

The storm was located 365 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River and could impact parts of the Gulf coastal areas later Saturday.

A tropical storm warning is in effect for east of Morgan City, Louisiana to the Okaloosa/Walton County line on the Florida Panhandle, the National Hurricane Center said. A tropical storm watch is in effect for Intracoastal City, Louisiana, to Morgan City.

Cristobal upgraded to tropical storm, takes aim at US Gulf Coast

Update 5:50 a.m. EDT June 6: After weakening to a tropical depression, a re-energized Cristobal regained tropical storm strength late Friday and remains on track to impact portions of the northern U.S. Gulf Coast as early as Saturday.

According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center’s most current data, Tropical Storm Cristobal’s maximum sustained winds are holding steady at 45 mph, and the storm, located about 440 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River, is moving north at 14 mph.

A tropical storm warning extends from southwestern Louisiana to the western Florida Panhandle, and tropical storm-force winds are expected to reach coastal communities by late Saturday night.

Although Cristobal is expected to strengthen as it approaches land, the storm is not anticipated to gain hurricane-force strength before making landfall Sunday. Substantial rain, with totals as high as 10 inches in isolated spots, is the primary threat at this time.

Tropical storm watch issued

Update 10:30 a.m. EDT June 5: A tropical storm watch has been issued for portions of the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico as Tropical Depression Cristobal churns northward through the central Gulf of Mexico toward the U.S. Gulf Coast.

A tropical storm watch was issued for the northern Gulf of Mexico coast from Intracoastal City, Louisiana, to the Alabama-Florida border, including Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.

A storm surge warning has been issued from Indian Pass, Florida, to Arepika, Florida, (near Tampa), and from Grand Isle, Louisiana, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, including Lake Borgne in Louisiana.

As of the 10 a.m. Central Standard Time advisory, Cristobal has winds of 35 mph and is 40 miles east of Campeche, Mexico. The storm is heading north at 12 mph. Forecasters expect the storm to gain some strength as it moves over the open waters of the Gulf.

Cristobal downgraded for now

Update: 12:05 p.m. ET June 4: Tropical Storm Cristobal has been downgraded to a tropical depression, but forecasters warn that the storm is expected to strengthen and head north into the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Cristobal continues to produce heavy rains and “life-threatening flooding."

AT 10 a.m. CT, the center of Cristobal was located 160 miles south-southwest of Campeche, Mexico.

“A turn toward the east and northeast is expected later today,” the NHC said. “And a subsequent northward motion should occur through Sunday.”

Cristobal has sustained winds at 35 mph with higher gusts. The storm is expected to re-intensify beginning on Friday.

Cristobal makes landfall

Update: 10:50 a.m. ET June 3: Tropical Storm Cristobal made landfall Wednesday along Mexico’s Gulf Coast, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The storm, the third of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, dumped heavy rains as it came ashore near Atasta, Mexico, just to the west of Ciudad del Carmen, triggering concerns over possible flooding.

The storm had sustained winds of 60 mph at landfall. A tropical system becomes a hurricane when it has sustained winds of 74 mph.

Cristobal formed Tuesday as remnants of the Pacific Tropical Storm Amanda moved into the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.

According to the NHC, the storm was expected to turn north later in the week, and move through the Gulf of Mexico toward the Gulf Coast of the United States.

Original story:

Tropical Storm Cristobal, the third named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, formed Tuesday in the southwest Gulf of Mexico.

Cristobal was located approximately 150 miles west-southwest of Campeche, Mexico, sporting maximum winds of 40 mph. The National Hurricane Center issued tropical storm warnings for Campeche to Puerto de Veracruz in Mexico.

Tropical storm warnings mean that tropical storm conditions are expected in an area within 24 to 36 hours.

According to the NHC, Cristobal could produce “life-threatening heavy rainfall and flooding over portions of Mexico and Central America.” Rainfall totals of 10 to 20 inches could create flood conditions and mudslides in the region, the NHC forecasts.

Cristobal’s formation was the earliest occurrence of a third named tropical system in the Atlantic basin in any recorded Atlantic hurricane season.

Further strengthening is possible as water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico are in the low- to mid-80s and there is very little wind shear – two factors that can hinder a storm’s intensity.

According to the NHC forecast, the system is likely to make a small loop over southeastern Mexico and then head into the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

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