| USCG Sector Houston-Galveston’s Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) held a Port Coordination Team (PCT) conference call at 9AM today to update industry partners on the impending arrival of Potential Tropical Storm Six (Francine) along the middle Texas coast, and the status of all ports within Sector Houston-Galveston. Your WGMA Maritime Affairs team participated on the call and has the following report:
From the National Weather Service briefing, and other sources:
· Potential Tropical Cyclone Six continues to produce disorganized clusters of storms in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.
· Though it has not yet demonstrated the organization to become a tropical storm, it is still anticipated to become a tropical storm at some point today.
· After that, it is expected to move northward, then northeastward across the northwestern Gulf of Mexico over the next few days, gradually strengthening as it does so.
· Overnight, the trend in track has been slightly to the east.
· This is a positive development for the area, as it would indicate less impact to Southeast Texas while it passes by well offshore.
· However, it is important to note that situations can change rapidly before a storm has acquired an established center of circulation, and if the storm evolves such that the forecast shifts back to the west, expected impacts could increase again.
· It will be important to continue to monitor the situation as PTC Six continues to develop.
· Watch for deteriorating conditions on Tuesday evening.
· At 700 AM CDT (1200 UTC), the disturbance was centered near latitude 22.0 North, longitude 94.9 West.
· The system is moving toward the north-northwest near 5 mph.
· A slow northwestward to northward motion is expected over the next day or so, followed by a faster motion to the northeast beginning late Tuesday.
· On the forecast track, the disturbance is expected to move just offshore of the northern Gulf Coast of Mexico through Tuesday and approach the Louisiana and Upper Texas coastline on Wednesday.
· Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph (85 km/h) with higher gusts.
· The disturbance is expected to become a tropical storm later today, with more significant intensification forecast to occur on Tuesday and Wednesday.
· The system is forecast to become a hurricane before it reaches the northwestern U.S. Gulf Coast.
· Formation chance through 48 hours… high…90 percent.
· Formation chance through 7 days…high…90 percent.
· Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 185 miles from the center.
· A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Barra del Tordo, Mexico, north to the Mouth of the Rio Grande and from the Mouth of the Rio Grande north to Port Mansfield, Texas.
· Potential Tropical Cyclone Six is expected to bring storm total rainfall of 4 to 8 inches, with local amounts to 12 inches, from the coast of far northeast Mexico northward along portions of the southern Texas Coast and across southern Louisiana and southern Mississippi into Thursday morning. This rainfall would lead to the risk of considerable flash and urban flooding.
· Conditions off Galveston will deteriorate rapidly beginning around midnight on Tuesday, peak during the date Wednesday and begin to moderate by late Wednesday.
· Until this storm becomes better organized, there is still much uncertainty about the forecast track, so please keep a close watch out for ongoing reports.
Coastal Watches/Warnings and Forecast Cone for Storm Center
Earliest Reasonable Arrival Time of Tropical-Storm-Force Winds
Satellite Loop: Potential Tropical Cyclone Six at 7:20AM
Remarks from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Commander and Vessel Traffic Service Director:
· Storms that pop up with little notice are the most difficult storms to deal with.
· AGENTS: All ships with intention to remain in port MUST submit their “Declaration of Intent to Remain in Port” forms ASAP!
· Anticipate setting Port Condition X-Ray this morning immediately after the PCT call has ended, with the plan to set Port Condition Yankee this afternoon at 4PM, unless there is a change in track.
· The decision to set Port Condition Zulu will be made tomorrow morning, with the intention to attain Port Condition Zulu by 6PM tomorrow.
· Marine interests should anticipate cessation of all cargo transfers, and lightering operations by 9PM tonight, unless gale force winds arrive earlier. This will confirmed during the next PCT call.
· No requests for inbound ship transits will be accepted after 2PM today.
· There will be another Houston-Galveston PCT call at 4PM today.
· MSU Texas City will conduct a facilities conference call at 5PM today.
· Bunkering operations will be allowed permitted up until the time of departure, to enable ships to maximize fuel intake.
Sector Houston-Galveston MSIB 13-24 Severe Weather Safety Planning for Vessels and Facilities
Houston Pilots:
· If they need to evacuate the port, they will need to start tonight.
· They will suspend outbound sailings by noon tomorrow.
Galveston-Texas City Pilots:
No comments to make at this time; watching & waiting.
Brazos Pilots:
Similar comments to Galveston-Texas City, above.
Harbor Tugs:
21 Houston, 6 Galveston and 6 Freeport
Agents are reminded to keep the eNOA/D’s updated for their vessels, and to keep the pilots closely advised about when their ships are ready to transit, whether sailing, shifting or docking.
WGMA members are reminded that our partners DTN WeatherOps can provide free customized weather reports for your specific area on the US Gulf Coast, along with tropical weather notices and alerts. Contact WGMA Maritime Affairs to sign up to receive these reports.
Another PCT conference call has been scheduled for today at 1600. Your Maritime Affairs team will participate on the PCT conference call and report to our membership afterwards. |
