[kanaloa]

<img src="http://www.pronetworks.org/main/images/blurb/Cindy-07-05-05.jpg" align="right">SCROLL DOWN FOR UPDATES...
Tropical Storm Cindy has now officially formed in the Gulf of Mexico. Landfall is expected somewhere in Louisiana.

Updates to follow... some strengthening is expected, but Hurricane status remains unlikely.

FORECAST TRACK AS OF JULY 05, 2005 - 8am

<img src="http://www.pronetworks.org/main/images/blurb/Cindy2-07-05-05.jpg">

[phileysmiley]

UPDATE
-------------------------------
Tropical storm Cindy nears Louisiana, Dennis grows
by Russell McCulley

NEW ORLEANS, La. (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Cindy took aim at the Louisiana coast with heavy rains and rising winds on Tuesday, while hurricane watches were posted in the Caribbean Sea where Tropical Storm Dennis grew in strength.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said it was the earliest date on record for four named tropical storms to have formed in the Atlantic basin, underscoring predictions that the 2005 hurricane season could be unusually active.

Southern Louisiana began to feel the effects of Cindy as the center of the storm moved nearer the central coast of the Gulf of Mexico. At 7 p.m. CDT (0000 GMT), it was centered about 55 miles south-southwest of the coastal town of Grand Isle, Louisiana with top sustained winds of to 70 mph (112 kph), just below the 74 mph (119 kph) threshold for a hurricane.

A tropical storm warning was in effect from Morgan City,Louisiana, to Destin, Florida, alerting residents to expect tropical storm conditions within 24 hours as Cindy moved north-northeast at 14 mph (22 kph).

<img src="http://www.pronetworks.org/forum/images/smiles/source.jpg"> RedNova News
<img src="http://www.pronetworks.org/forum/images/smiles/view.jpg"> <a href=http://www.rednova.com/news/general/165071/tropical_storm_cindy_nears_louisiana_dennis_grows/ target=_blank>complete article</a>

[phileysmiley]

UPDATE
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Tropical Storm Cindy Moves Ashore in La.
Wednesday July 6, 2005 4:01 AM
By KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Tropical Storm Cindy began moving ashore Tuesday night, pelting the Louisiana coast with sideways rain and intermittent squalls.

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman Capt. Mike Sanders said the low-lying coastal parish had seen much worse, but residents were still keeping a watchful eye on the storm - as well as Tropical Storm Dennis, which was brewing in the Caribbean but would likely arrive in the Gulf of Mexico by the weekend.

``Our main concern with Cindy is that she'll come along the coastline, like it here, and stay awhile,'' Sanders said. ``We like tourism, we know people enjoy it here, but in Cindy's case, we hope she just keeps on going.''

At the Cajun Tide Beach Resort on the tiny barrier island town of Grand Isle, owners Shirley Riche and David Ducote said they were beginning to see the wind pick up and mix with a little rain as the outer bands of Cindy began lashing the tiny island, but it was all bearable.

<img src="http://www.pronetworks.org/forum/images/smiles/source.jpg"> The Guardian
<img src="http://www.pronetworks.org/forum/images/smiles/view.jpg"> <a href=http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5120847,00.html target=_blank>complete article</a>

[phileysmiley]

UPDATE
-------------------------
Crude Oil Approaches $60 in New York as Storm Disrupts Supply

July 6 (Bloomberg) -- Crude oil approached $60 a barrel in New York as Tropical Storm Cindy in the Gulf of Mexico disrupted shipments to the U.S., the world's biggest consumer of oil. The storm, heading toward the Louisiana coast, forced the country's biggest oil terminal to stop unloading tankers yesterday.

A second tropical storm, Dennis, is moving toward the Gulf of Mexico and may become a hurricane by the end of the week, according to the National Hurricane Center. ``Dennis looks like it's much more of an issue,'' said Chris Mennis, owner of oil trader New Wave Energy in Aptos, California. `

`They're talking about a Category 2 storm. That's a serious hurricane.'' A Category 5 Hurricane is the most severe. Crude oil for August delivery gained for a third day, rising as much as 26 cents, or 0.4 percent, to $59.85 a barrel in after- hours electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was at $59.84 at 8:35 a.m. Singapore time.

The contract yesterday rose 84 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $59.59 a barrel, having earlier traded as high as $60.10. Futures touched $60.95 a barrel on June 27, the highest since trading began in 1983. Prices are up 50 percent from a year ago.

<img src="http://www.pronetworks.org/forum/images/smiles/source.jpg"> Bloomberg News
<img src="http://www.pronetworks.org/forum/images/smiles/view.jpg"> <a href=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000102&sid=ak7J2GSC19V0&refer=uk target=_blank>complete article</a>

[kanaloa]

Cindy was as close to a Hurricane as you get with a Tropical Storm. At a bruising 60mph, that's quite a punch for a tropical system.

Cindy is now forecast to head Eastward with a northern slant (as typical). This will produce tropical outbursts of rain along a already soggy SE United States, and likely will spawn tornadic activity in the eastern quadrants of the storm, including here in South Carolina's capital, Columbia.