As the disorganized system continues to move toward the southeastern coast of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center has updated Tropical Depression Two to Tropical Storm Barry.
Earlier Sunday morning, Air Force Reserve Reconnaissance flew into the system, and found a better-defined center with fixes also indicating that the system is gaining more latitude.
This recent information is the primary basis for increasing the winds to 35 kt, making the depression Tropical Storm Barry.
The primary impacts with Barry remain heavy rainfall and flash flooding for portions of eastern Mexico in upslope terrain as the system moves inland over the area of over the next day or two.
A narrow low-to-mid level ridge over the central Gulf should continue to steer the tropical cyclone in this direction until it makes landfall over eastern Mexico by the end of today or tonight.
The latest NHC track forecast is just a bit more northwestward compared to the prior one, mostly accounting for changes in the initial position, but remains in good agreement with the track guidance consensus. As mentioned previously, the strongest winds are expected to occur north of the center along the coast within the tropical storm warning area this afternoon and tonight.
Key Messages
- Tropical Storm Barry will produce heavy rainfall across portions of northeastern Mexico. Life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain, are possible.
- Tropical storm conditions, especially in gusts, are expected later today and tonight over portions of eastern Mexico in the tropical storm warning area.