The @53rdWRS Hurricane Hunters continue to find Tropical Storm Melissa broad and sheared, with max winds around 50 mph. A slow drift to the northwest is expected to continue for the rest of this week as Melissa remains marooned in weak steering currents.
Uncertainty in the track forecast remains elevated, but we are starting to see a shift in model projections away from the eastern-most possibilities, which involved Melissa turning north-northeastward over Haiti. The @NHC_Atlantic official forecast has followed suit, depicting a westward turn near or south of #Jamaica during the weekend, under the influence of a steering ridge over the Straits of Florida. This track could allow a strong hurricane to develop, as wind shear would lessen over the storm in a few days on such a track. An ultimate turn northward out of the Caribbean would still likely occur under this scenario, but later, after the aforementioned ridge erodes.
Considerable uncertainty remains in this forecast, and residents in the region should be prepared for a possible hurricane strike. A potentially prolonged period of heavy rains is likely to cause flooding and mudslide risks, particularly in Hispaniola and Jamaica, even if the center of Melissa doesn't directly hit these areas.
I'm unable to post a video update today due to other responsibilities, but will likely publish more of them later in the week.
🚨 BREAKING: Major Explosion!
Officials in Tennessee confirm there are no survivors following a massive explosion at an explosives plant called Accurate Energetic Systems near McEwen in Humphreys County that left 18 people missing.
Sheriff Chris Davis said recovery teams are still working at the blast site but have “recovered no survivors.” The sheriff stopped short of confirming the death toll, explaining that authorities are still in the process of identifying remains.
The explosion tore through the plant on Friday morning, shaking nearby communities and sending plumes of smoke visible for miles. The cause of the blast remains under investigation, and officials say it may take days to safely access all parts of the site.
“We can assume they are deceased at this point,” Sheriff Davis said somberly during a press briefing Saturday.
Stunning view of Hurricane #Erin on visible satellite. Look at that structure! 👀🌀
It’s a big hurricane with tropical storm force winds extending up to 265 miles from the center. The wind field will continue to grow as the storm gains latitude.
We are still about 2 hours away from this evening's high tide, and water is already beginning to impact some areas along the Outer Banks. Here is the view along NC-12 in Buxton (courtesy @NCDOT_NC12 ). Please try to avoid flooded roads. #Erin#ncwx
⚠️5:00 pm Hurricane #Erin Update.
Here is the latest information on Erin, including the expected impacts along the coast of ENC. For complete information, please check out https://t.co/CAZ6pY0eg1 #ncwx
A deer 🦌 gets his antlers stuck in a rope tied high up on a tree branch. While he’s trying to escape , it turns into a rope swing as these men try to save him! 🙏
🚨 BREAKING: The official U.S. government website has quietly removed Sections 9 and 10 of Article I from the Constitution.
Let me say that again:
They didn’t amend the Constitution.
They didn’t debate it in Congress.
They just erased two of the most protective sections; the ones that deal with habeas corpus, limits on federal power, and Congress’s sole authority to set tariffs.