A tropical storm is expected to form in the northeastern Gulf today, and the National Hurricane Center’s forecast track has the developing system making landfall in southeast Louisiana. Andrew Greenstein has more…
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SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey addressed some of the hottest issues in college sports at SEC Media Days in Tampa. Kace Kieschnick has more.
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We’re keeping a close eye on what is currently Tropical Depression Two. The center of the system is in the northeastern Gulf and forecasters expect it to become Tropical Storm Bertha this afternoon or tonight. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says they are not expecting major strengthening as it moves towards southeast Louisiana….
Cut 3 (10) “…a major hurricane.”
According to the National Hurricane Center’s latest forecast, Bertha is expected to make landfall as a tropical storm in southeast Louisiana on Wednesday, but Keim says the coastal parishes will feel the effects much sooner.
Cut 4 (11) “…on Wednesday evening.”
Of course, a lot can change between now and then, and the cone of uncertainty has the path anywhere from north of Baton Rouge to well south of the Louisiana coast; and Keim says while the storm is currently not expected to intensify beyond tropical storm strength, that could change if the track shifts south off the coast.
Cut 5 (09) “…watch very carefully.”
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for coastal Gulf waters east of the mouth of the Mississippi River.
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SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey kicked off SEC Football Media Days in Tampa. In his State of the SEC address, Sankey echoed official statements from the conference and many member schools that support the effort behind the Protect College Sports Act but say it needs changes. He says his top priority is that the legislation is enforceable.
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SEC teams will play their first nine-game conference schedule this year, the most ever in a single season. Sankey says the conference is the best in the nation with the toughest schedule but the College Football Playoff Committee has not pledged to reward that extra challenge.
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With the expanded College Football Playoff, the importance and scheduling of conference championships have been called into question. While Sankey pointed out the SEC has been the only conference to hold a championship game before, he says the future of the game beyond this year is not set in stone.
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Sankey also said there have been real conversations about the SEC breaking away from the NCAA due to frustrations with the governing body.
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National Weather Service Meteorologist Megan Williams says some areas could be in for some heavy rains from the storm which is expected to become Tropical Storm Bertha later today.
Cut 9 (10) “…that rainfall occurs.”
Williams says when the storm makes landfall Wednesday, coastal communities should be prepared for a moderate storm surge.
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Williams says the storm’s current forecast does not have it intensifying beyond tropical storm strength. That would keep maximum sustained winds below 74 miles an hour.
Cut 11 (07) “…porches and awnings.”
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Forecasters predict a storm surge of two to four feet along the coasts of St. Tammany, St. Bernard, Plaquemines and Jefferson parishes. Plaquemines Parish Emergency Preparedness Director Patrick Harvey says they are not expecting major flooding.
Cut 12 (14) “…should remain dry.”
Harvey says there are no plans to order evacuations in Plaquemines Parish. He says that could change if the National Hurricane Center predicts a storm surge of six feet or higher, which could lead to flooding of Highway 39, cutting off a major evacuation route for coastal residents.
Harvey says the heaviest rain bands could stay south of Louisiana’s coast.