Updraft: May 3, 2010 Archive

Gulf oil slick edges toward shore

Posted at 9:37 AM on May 3, 2010 by Paul Huttner
Filed under: Gulf oil spill, Springtime

NOAA satellite image shows the oil spill on April 30th. Note the Mississippi Delta on the left.

It was a stiff wind along the Gulf Coast last weekend. Steady southeast to south winds gusting over 30 mph pushed the oil slick toward Louisiana over the weekend. 10 foot waves slammed the coast, making it difficult if not impossible to contain the spill, and moving it ever so slowly toward the coast.

The forecast is a good news/bad news scenario, depending on where you live on the coast. Lighter winds and smoother seas will allow crews to resume containment and mitigation efforts. A shift in wind direction to more westerly will tend to push the growing oil slick eastward toward Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

Twin Cities: Roller coaster temperature week.

The thermometer will be like the stock market this week. Lots of ups and downs.

Tuesday looks like the warmest day this week.

We start on the cooler side with 50s and 60s in Minnesota Monday. Tuesday will bring warm southerly breezes, and temps will push into the 70s in the southern half of the state. A cool front will blow through again mid-week, returning us to the cooler 50s by late week.

Look for chance for rain late Tuesday as the front slams through.

PH