Gulf may see tropical storm

More oil workers in the Gulf of Mexico were being evacuated Saturday after a weather system was given a 90 percent chance of becoming a tropical storm this weekend.

“A tropical storm may be forming,” the National Hurricane Center said in its afternoon advisory, adding that “tropical-storm force winds are already occurring in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.”

“Tropical storm watches or warnings could be required for a portion of the northern Gulf Coast later today,” it added. “Heavy rains and localized flooding are possible across the Yucatan Peninsula (in Mexico), western Cuba and much of Florida over the next day or two.”

Forecasting models diverged widely on its potential path. Some took it east over northern Florida while others swung it north toward the Alabama-Mississippi border or west over Texas or Mexico.

As a precaution, BP, ConocoPhillips and Apache on Saturday were evacuating all non-essential personnel from offshore installations in the area.

The largest U.S. offshore oil port as well as Anadarko Petroleum and Murphy Oil Corp. on Friday did the same.

Other oil companies were monitoring the situation.

The next named Atlantic tropical storm will be Debby.

Image: Rain in Miami

Lynne Sladky
 / 
AP

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, but got off to an early start this year. Tropical Storm Alberto quickly fizzled off South Carolina and Tropical Storm Beryl soaked the Southeast in May.

Tropical Storm Chris briefly became a hurricane before fizzling out Friday. But Chris was notable as it formed unusually far north for an early season hurricane.

Government forecasters predicted nine to 15 tropical storms in the Atlantic basin this year, with four to eight strengthening into hurricanes.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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