Southwestern Gulf Of Mexico, Parts Of Texas Seen To Experience Dose Of Heavy Rains

Weather experts said the southwestern Gulf of Mexico and parts of Texas could experience doses of heavy rains due to an expected tropical storm.

stormy weather — (Photo : Getty Images/CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)

Torrential Rains Over Mexico, Texas

Based on the weather forecast, the system will spread torrential rains towards northeastern Mexico and parts of southern Texas. So far, widespread rainfall of four to eight inches is anticipated in northeastern Mexico with some areas along the coast and inland on the east-facing slopes of the mountains picking up eight to 12 inches.

Meteorologists said that this would come from a disturbance on the Central America gyre, which is breaking away and expected to roll towards the west-northwestward direction over the weekend.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defined gyre as a large system of rotating ocean currents.

The NOAA said that the wind, tides, as well as the differences in temperature and salinity in the oceans usually result in ocean currents. Based on the observation of experts, the ocean churns up different types of currents, and these include eddies, whirlpools, or deep ocean currents.

Experts said that the larger, sustained currents-the Gulf Stream, for example-usually go by proper names. When taken together, these larger and more permanent currents make up the systems of currents which are called the gyres.

Meteorologists said that there are five major gyres, such as the North and South Pacific Subtropical Gyres, the North and South Atlantic Subtropical Gyres, and the Indian Ocean Subtropical Gyre.

In some cases, the term "gyre" has been used to refer to the collections of plastic wastes as well as other debris found in higher concentrations in certain parts of the ocean.

While this use of "gyre" is increasingly common among various definitions, the term traditionally refers simply to large, rotating ocean currents.

Plentiful Moisture To Increase Downpours

The National Weather Service said that widespread showers and thunderstorms would continue to the northern portion along the quasi-stationary boundary draped from New England west through the Great Lakes and into the Upper Mississippi Valley.

Weather experts said that plentiful moisture would increase the chance for locally heavy downpours.

On the other hand, the highest chance for potentially significant torrential rains can be felt along the boundary ahead of an upper-level wave over portions of the Upper Great Lakes/Upper Mississippi Valley on Saturday.

The weather forecast showed that the ongoing organized storms in the evening of Friday, as well as the risk for more widespread, organized storms into Saturday has resulted in a Moderate Risk of Excessive Rainfall (level 3/4) over southern Wisconsin and northeastern Iowa.

In these areas, there will be a threat of scattered to numerous instances of flash floods that may put at risk the residents.

On the other hand, a broader Slight Risk (level 2/4) covers the region. Aside from that, a few storms could be severe, with a Slight Risk of severe weather (level 2/5) issued by the Storm Prediction Center due to the threat of some damaging winds and a few tornadoes.