Tropical Storm Karen churns toward Gulf Coast

[Jazzy]

Tropical Storm Karen was poised to become the first named storm to hit the U.S. during what had been a relatively quiet hurricane season.

Karen was forecast to lash the northern Gulf Coast over the weekend as a weak hurricane or tropical storm. A hurricane watch was in effect from Grand Isle, La., to west of Destin, Fla. A tropical storm warning was issued for the Louisiana coast from Grand Isle to the mouth of the Pearl River, including the New Orleans area.

CBS News hurricane consultant David Bernard reported on "CBS This Morning" Friday that there's a chance Karen will gain strength by Saturday morning as it approaches the Gulf Coast.

If Karen maintains its current route, the storm will approach the northern Gulf Coast between Saturday night and early Sunday morning then rapidly weaken and move northeast Sunday night into Monday morning across Alabama and into Georgia, Bernard reports.

From a tiny, vulnerable island off the Louisiana coast to the beaches of the Florida Panhandle, Gulf Coast residents prepared Thursday for a possible hit from the storm.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Friday morning that Karen was about 275 miles south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River and was moving northwest at 10 mph.

The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 60 mph with the hurricane center saying little change in strength was expected Friday.

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Hope any members in these areas remain safe!

 

[JetWing34]

Hope it doesn't hit the Mississippi gulf coast very hard, otherwise my plans of visiting there are dashed.