UPDATED: Karen downgraded to tropical depression

Posted on October 4, 2013

UPDATE 2: (Oct. 11, 11:15 p.m.)

Tropical Storm Karen has weakened to a tropical depression, with its projected track now calling for it to move easterly with a landfall possibly around Taylor County sometime late Monday as a “remnant low.”

The storm, which at one time boasted maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, had weakened to 35 mph by the National Hurricane Center’s 11 p.m. update Saturday.

The depression was stationary, but a turn toward the northeast was expected overnight, followed by a turn toward the east-northeast and an increase in forward speed on Sunday. A turn to the east was forecast for Monday.

Karen was expected to degenerate into a remnant low by Monday.

UPDATE: (Oct. 10, 2:25 p.m.)

Tropical Storm Karen continues to make its way toward the Gulf coast. According to the National Hurricane Center, as of 2 p.m., the storm was located 240 miles south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River, moving north-northwest at 9 mph. Maximum sustained winds have decreased since Thursday, down to 50 mph.

A turn toward the north and a decrease in forward speed are expended by early Saturday. A turn toward the northeast is expected on Sunday with an increase in forward speed. Little change in strength is expected today (Friday), although some strengthening is possible Saturday night and Sunday.

The forecast track (shown above) has the storm making landfall somewhere between Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle.

A hurricane watch is in plan eastward to Destin, with a tropical storm watch expending to Indian Pass.

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Tropical Storm Karen, the 11th named storm of the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season, is expected to make landfall sometime Saturday along the Gulf Coast between Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle.

As of 2 p.m. Thursday, the storm boasted maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. Located around 430 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River, the storm was moving north-northwest at 12 mph.

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