tropical

Sept. 1 (UPI) — Tropical Storm Edouard made landfall Tuesday at the Texas-Louisiana border, moving inland toward the northwest with gusty winds and heavy rainfall.

The National Hurricane Center said a tropical storm warning was in effect from Port Bolivar, Texas, to the Vermilion/Cameron parish line in Louisiana. As of Tuesday afternoon, wind speeds had slowed to about 50 mph after measurements of about 60 mph at landfall.

“Continued weakening is expected during the next day or so, and Edouard is forecast to weaken to a tropical depression tonight and dissipate by Wednesday night,” the NHC said.

The storm’s small size will lessen its impact, CNN reported. “Locally significant flash flooding” is possible in southeast Texas, and river flooding was also possible. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott activated the state’s Emergency Operations Center to prepare, mobilizing more than 1,500 personnel.

The storm is expected to produce 3 to 7 inches of rainfall with some totals up to 12 inches for parts of the upper Texas coast inland through east-central Texas, the NHC said. There is the potential for 2 to 4 inches in far southwest Louisiana.

Tornadoes are possible through Tuesday evening across parts of southwest Louisiana and southeast Texas.

A storm surge/tide combination could cause normally dry areas near the coast to flood, the NHC said. The degree of this flooding depends on the timing of the surge and tidal cycle.

AFTER months of extreme heat, there is rain on the horizon, so where should you spend a bank holiday weekend when it’s a washout?

To keep the family entertained we’ve put together the UK’s best indoor waterparks with tropical temperatures, high-energy waterslides and family-friendly pirate ships.

Waterworld, Stoke-on-Trent

Waterworld describes itself as the “number one indoor tropical aqua park” with over 30 rides and attractions.

The waterpark is home to a wave pool and rapids as well as the Thunderbolt ride, which is the UK’s first trap door drop waterslide and riders travel at 25mph.

One of the newest rides, Hurricane, descends at 17mph with lightning effects inside the tunnels.

There are also dedicated water attractions for younger children like the interactive Jungle House and Toddler Boat slide.

For anyone looking for a moment to catch their breath, take a break in one of the waterparks’ bubble pools.

Waterworld also has a mini adventure golf course as well as a restaurant and cafe serving up pizza, burgers, salads and drinks.

At reception is a brand new dessert bar where post-swim you can pick up a milkshake or one of the 22 different flavours of ice cream.

Tickets for adults and children start from £17.70, children under three-years-old start from £6.10.

Coral Reef Waterworld, Bracknell

This indoor waterpark is one of England’s biggest, so it’s perfect for a family outing on a rainy day.

It has tropical temperatures of 30C along with a giant pirate ship and erupting water volcano, rapid river, bubble pool and children’s splash zone.

The pirate-themed splash area is centered around a huge ship called The Coralina – it also has water cannons and interactive water features.

There are five high-tech waterslides with an option for everyone from Aquaplash which is suitable for smaller children.

The biggest waterslide is The Cannon, which launches riders down a 67 metre-long chute like a cannonball.

Poseidon’s Peril is another popular ride where two people are attached to an inflatable raft as it rotates and swirls through a tunnel with colour-changing lights.

If you’re after relaxation, then the Coral Spa is the place to be with heated loungers, three saunas, a cool pool and a Japanese steam room.

Adult tickets cost £20.55, children 5-16 cost £14.55 those aged children between 0-4 cost £1.95. Book tickets ahead online.

Splashdown Waterpark, Poole

If adrenaline-filled waterslide fun is what you’re after, then head to Splashdown Waterpark.

This action-packed waterpark has 13 indoor and outdoor flumes that visitors can use whether it’s rain or shine.

If you’re a daredevil, then check out The Screamer. The ride plummets a near-vertical 40-meter drop in under five seconds.

Or there’s Black Thunder which is a waterslide that’s completely in the dark. The Infinity waterslide plays music and has a flashing laser show too.

It’s not all about the big rides though, there’s plenty to do for the little ones with the interactive water cannons at Buccaneer Splash.

Admission for three hours costs £23 per person, £9 for 1-4-year-olds and £6 for children under 1. (Child tickets include entry for a companion adult.)

The Wave, Coventry

The Wave in Coventry is a giant indoor waterpark home to the largest wave pool in England.

The enormous pool has a wave machine which churns out more than 20 million litres of water per day – the rolling waves get bigger the further out you go.

When you want to relax, ditch the waves and bob along the lazy river.

There are six waterslides including The Riptide which is a half-pipe slide that blasts riders in a rubber ring down a near-90-degree drop.

The Cyclone spins swimmers around a giant open bowl, and The Rapids which is a ‘water-coaster’ hurl riders uphill before dropping them down through tight corners and tunnels.

For younger children, The Reef is its splash pad which has its own miniature slides, tipping buckets, jets and water fountains.

The Mana Spa has you a quieter spa pool, an aromatherapy room, sauna and steam room.

Tickets cost £15 per adult, £13 for children 11 and under and under ones go free.

Sandcastle Waterpark, Blackpool

Sandcastle Waterpark is another of the country’s largest indoor waterparks that sits on the South Promenade opposite the Pleasure Beach.

Inside the tropical waterpark are 18 slides and plenty of them are white-knuckle rides.

One of the most popular rides is The Master Blaster which is the UK’s longest water rollercoaster.

Another is Sidewinder which is the world’s first indoor half-pipe waterslide, then there’s Aztec Falls which plunges riders into darkness before spinning them around a giant bowl.

The Caribbean Storm Treehouse is a spot for the kids – it’s a giant climbing frame topped with a huge coconut that drops 600 gallons of water on swimmers below every few minutes.

Little ones can also use the multi-lane Treetops Water Chutes and the interactive HMS Thunder Splash pirate ship.

While there’s lots of action, the Sandcastle Waterpark also has a place for relaxation – the adult-only Sea Breeze Spa which has saunas, steam rooms, foot baths and aromatherapy lounge.

For anyone wanting to push the boat out, the park offers premium Tiki Cabanas for adults with its own TV and private hot tub with a fridge stocked with soft drinks – VIP packages start from £60pp.

Tickets to the waterpark start from £23.31 for ages 8+ and £13.96 for kids aged 3-7, with under 3s going free.

Calypso Cove, Barnsley

Found inside the Barnsley Metrodome, Calypso Cove is the ultimate pirate-themed indoor waterpark.

The tropical island paradise feels like one too as it’s heated to 30C and there are some high-energy water rides here like Terror Torrent, one of the UK’s fastest indoor water flumes.

There’s also The Eruption, a volcano-themed ride that spins you around a large bowl before dropping you out at the bottom.

The Kraken is a family-friendly flume where riders can choose their own music before sliding down the slide.

Families with younger kids can climb onto the decks of the Sunken Galleon ship play area.

Parents with babies and toddlers can enjoy the shallow waters and water fountains at Barnacle Bay.

For a bite to eat, head to The Hideout poolside cafe which serves up quick dishes like burgers and chips.

Adult tickets cost £13, under 10s tickets cost £11 and under 3s tickets cost £4. All tickets must be booked in advance online.

Aug. 27 (UPI) — The National Weather Service named Tropical Storm Dolly on Thursday, as it makes its way across the Atlantic Ocean toward the eastern Caribbean.

Dolly was located about 1,315 miles east of the Leeward Islands, which include the Virgin Islands, St. Martin and several others, the National Hurricane Center said in its 11 p.m. AST update.

The storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 40 mph and was moving west at a blistering 23 mph.

The NHC said Dolly should continue moving westward for the next couple of days over the central Atlantic and be nearing the Leeward Islands over the weekend.

“Although it will encounter warmer ocean waters, Dolly is likely to move into less favorable atmospheric conditions during the next couple of days,” the NHC said. “Some slight short-term strengthening is possible, but increasing vertical wind shear, relatively dry air and the fast forward motion of the system should begin to adversely affect Dolly fairly soon.”

It is forecast to be a post-tropical storm within 48 hours.

Heavy rain from Dolly could begin to affect the Leeward Islands late Saturday into Sunday, and the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola Sunday and Monday. The heavy rain may produce flash flooding, especially in areas of higher terrain, the NHC reported.

The name Dolly was chosen in advance and not as a tribute to the late Dolly Parton, who died on Tuesday.

“The timing of the use of the name Dolly for this storm is purely coincidental,” the NHC said.

For the second week in a row, Hawaii Island, also known as the Big Island, faces threats from an intensifying storm.

Tropical Storm Moke is grinding towards Hawaii, bringing gusts of wind and heavy rain only a week after the islands faced similar conditions from Hurricane Lala.

On Saturday, Hawaii residents prepared for the latest storm, which is expected to pass south of Hawaii Island, the largest island in the Hawaiian archipelago, overnight and into the following morning.

As of 11am Hawaii Standard Time (21:00 GMT), Moke was located about 684 kilometres, or 425 miles, south of Hilo, a city on the eastern coast of Hawaii Island. It was moving west-northwest at 19km/h (12mph).

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in the United States reported that the storm’s maximum sustained winds were about 85km/h (50mph).

Moke, like Lala, is forecast to spare the Big Island a potentially disastrous direct hit. But the island is still recovering from Lala, a Category 1 storm that spurred heavy flooding and power outages.

At least one person died in last weekend’s storm.

Lala came close enough to Hawaii Island to dump more than 1,000mm (39 inches) of rain in some locations, causing rivers to burst their banks.

High winds also bent tall palm trees and downed electrical lines, forcing nearly 130,000 utility customers to lose power.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green and other state officials have urged people to prepare for Moke by restocking food, medicine and other daily essentials ahead of the storm’s passage.

“It could certainly have a big impact because we’ve already been hit hard,” Green said in a video statement. “We’re pre-positioning all kinds of additional equipment and people. I’ve also authorised 100 rooms, hotel rooms, for people to go to, in case they don’t have enough services or protection, safety.”

Green added that, while power had been restored to most of Hawaii Island after Lala, some remote areas were still experiencing outages. Power is expected to be fully restored by September 8.

After passing Hawaii Island during the night, Moke is projected to continue on a westward path near the islands through early Tuesday, according to Casey Oswant, a meteorologist with the Honolulu office of the US National Weather Service.

“There will still be impacts, especially to the windward and southeast sides of the Big Island, but it will probably be a little bit more limited than what we saw with Lala,” Oswant said.

The National Hurricane Center projects that Moke will bring roughly 130mm to 250mm (5 to 10 inches) of rainfall over the next two days on the southeast and windward sides of the Big Island. Some isolated areas could see as much as 380mm (15 inches).

Eastern Maui, meanwhile, is likely to receive 76mm to 150mm (3 to 6 inches), with smaller amounts of precipitation expected across the rest of the island chain.

Governor Green warned that the heavy rain is unlikely to end with Moke.

“Everyone be very careful,” he said. “This storm will be followed by another storm front about a week later, and we continue to see the impacts of these major weather fronts that have hit Hawaii.”

The devastating hurricane grazes the Big Island in Hawaii in the US, but avoids making landfall.

Hurricane Lala has weakened from a Category 1 hurricane to a tropical storm after passing south of Hawaii, but meteorologists warned that hurricane-force gusts could still batter the islands with flash flooding and punishing winds.

On Saturday, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) issued a hurricane warning for the Big Island, which has not suffered a direct hurricane landfall in 155 years.

But as tropical storm winds soared west from Maui to Oahu and Kauai on Sunday, Hurricane Lala drifted past, edging the Hawaiian coast and just escaping primary impact zones.

Still, pounding waves crashed against the shore of the Big Island. Wild squalls bent tall palm trees, and fierce sideways rain swelled rivers.

Up to one metre (three feet) of rain was expected on higher windward slopes. Such a torrent could turn rivers into turbulent floods and cause life-threatening mudslides. The NHC said in an advisory published early Sunday morning that rainfall totals could even reach up to 90cm (35 inches) in some areas of the Big Island.

More than 60,000 households were without power, and three hospitals switched to generator power, Hawaii’s Governor Josh Green said Saturday evening.

At least one person died in a car accident in the South Point area of the Big Island, while 19 roofs were lost in the “enormous storm”. 

Christine Matsuda, who lives in Waimea, on the northern side of the island, told the Associated Press that “big gusts every few minutes rattle the whole house”.

Tropical storm warnings remain active for Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Oahu, Kauai, and Niihau. Dire conditions continue to lash the Hawaiian coast as monster waves drive coastal erosion and severe flooding plagues communities across the US state. The westward-moving storm raises fears among residents regarding heavy floods and strong winds that could spark catastrophic wildfires in the Aloha State.