TROPICAL STORM GRACE FORMS IN THE WESTERN GULF OF MEXICO (See the NOAA National Hurricane Center for the latest information on this storm. Complete advisories are posted at 11 a.m., 5 p.m., 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. All times are Eastern. Advisories are posted more frequently as the storm nears the USA mainland.) Aug. 30, 2003 � The NOAA National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla., reports that at 5 p.m. EDT the center of Tropical Storm Grace was located near latitude 25.6 north, longitude 93.7 west or about 280 miles east-southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas. Grace is moving toward the west-northwest near 10 mph, and this general motion is expected to continue for the next 24 hours. On this track, the center of Grace is expected make landfall along the Texas coast in the warning area within the next 24 to 30 hours. (Click NOAA image for larger view of Tropical Storm Grace taken Aug. 30, 2003, at 11:15 p.m. EDT. Please credit “NOAA.”)
Maximum sustained winds are near 40 mph with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 24 hours. An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft is currently investigating the tropical storm and will provide more information on the strength of this tropical cyclone. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 105 miles mainly northeast through southeast of the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 mb, 29.74 inches. Rainfall accumulations of 6 to 8 inches, with isolated higher amounts, can be expected near and to the east of the path of the tropical storm. Rainbands are already spreading over the upper Texas and southwest Louisiana coasts. (Click NOAA tracking map of Tropical Storm Grace for larger view.) Coastal storm surge flooding of 2 to 4 feet above normal tide levels, along with large and dangerous battering waves, can be expected near and to the right of where the center of Grace makes landfall. A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Texas coast from High Island to Corpus Christi. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours. For storm information specific to your area, please monitor products issued by NOAA National Weather Service local forecast offices. NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation�s coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Relevant Web Sites
NOAA National Hurricane Center — Get the latest advisories here
NOAA Atlantic Hurricanes Database — 150 Years of Atlantic Hurricanes
NOAA Forecasters Say Six to Nine Hurricanes Could Threaten in 2003
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
NOAA River Forecast Centers
NOAA Flood Products
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24-hour Observed Precipitation as of 8 a.m. today
Latest rainfall data as of 8 a.m. EDT today
NOAA Buoys NOAA Tides Online
NOAA Satellite Images — The latest satellite views
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NOAA Hurricanes Page
NOAA Storm Watch — Get the latest severe weather information across the USA Media Contact:
Frank Lepore, NOAA Hurricane Center, (305) 229-4404
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