Two storms are headed to the Gulf of Mexico and are expected to develop into hurricanes before making landfall on the gulf coast.
This perfect-storm-of-sort has never happened before in the recorded meteorological history.
“This is a very unique situation. Potentially two hurricanes – in the Gulf of Mexico – at the same time – making landfall within hours of each other, potentially next week,” WWL-TV’s Meteorologist Dave Nussbaum told WWL’s Tommy Tucker.
The big question on forecasters' minds is how these two storms will interact once they meet in the gulf.
“Traditionally…I’ve done some research…if the storms are less than 200 miles apart they could have more of an impact on each other,” said Nussbaum. “They don’t necessarily ‘eat each other’ like some listeners and viewers have asked, or form into a mega hurricane. It doesn’t work that way. But, one could become more dominate… one could produce more wind-shear for the other one… one could make one to stall… one could make one to weaken…So that is something we are going to have to see. But since this has never happened before, I can’t even go back and look through meteorology books and research to see what this thing is going to do.”
He adds New Orleans is in a precarious position with these storms.
“At the moment, New Orleans is right between the two,” said Nussbaum. “So, we are kind of between a Marco and Laura sandwich here.”
Nussbaum says a few south Louisiana cities are positioned in both storm forecast ‘cones’.
“Lutcher, Raceland, near Houma, Chauvin, you are in both cones right now and I don’t know if that has ever happened before, that cities have been in two cones at the same time.
He adds, Hurricane Marco could be the one having the biggest impact on Louisiana.
“We are talking heavy rain events starting Monday, continue through Tuesday maybe lingering into Wednesday so that is the one we definitely need to keep a close, close, eye on,” said Nussbaum.