Updated

Updated · Naples Daily News · Jul 15

Tropical Storm Elida Forms With 40-Mph Winds, Forecast to Become a Hurricane by Thursday

Updated

Updated · Naples Daily News · Jul 15

Tropical Storm Elida Forms With 40-Mph Winds, Forecast to Become a Hurricane by Thursday

Q: Why might heavy rain be more dangerous for regions that have been suffering from extreme drought?

Heavy rain can be more dangerous after extreme drought because drought-damaged ground often cannot absorb water quickly, turning a needed rain event into a flash-flood threat. Forecasters in Florida and the Southeast are highlighting that risk now. In drought-stricken areas, soil becomes baked, compacted and less porous, so intense rain runs off the surface instead of soaking in. That can overwhelm creeks, roads and drainage systems in a short time, even if the storm itself is weak or never becomes a named tropical system. Drought also weakens vegetation and root systems that normally help hold soil in place and slow runoff. When heavy rain arrives, water moves faster across the land, increasing erosion, washing sediment into streams and reducing the ability of waterways to carry floodwater safely. Weakened trees and unstable ground can add to damage. Another problem is that a downpour after drought often does less to relieve the drought than people expect. Fast runoff means less water infiltrates deeply enough to recharge soil moisture and groundwater. So an area can suffer both flooding and continued water stress. Experts describe this as a drought-flood paradox: the same dry spell that creates water shortages can also set the stage for dangerous flooding when tropical moisture or thunderstorms return. That is why meteorologists are stressing rain impacts over storm naming in the Gulf disturbance.

Q: How is the world responding to the US renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America?

The response has been mostly rejection or limited recognition outside the United States. While U.S. federal agencies such as NOAA and the National Hurricane Center now use “Gulf of America” in official maps and advisories, most of the world continues to call it the Gulf of Mexico. Mexico has been the strongest opponent, arguing the United States cannot unilaterally rename an internationally recognized body of water beyond its own territorial waters. Mexican officials have said they will keep using “Gulf of Mexico,” and Mexico has challenged Google’s labeling in court. Cuba has also rejected the U.S. change. In Europe, official naming bodies in countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria and Poland have kept the traditional name. Their position is that established international usage has not changed, so official maps and publications should continue to use “Gulf of Mexico.” Global map and tech companies have taken mixed approaches rather than fully endorsing the U.S. name. Google shows “Gulf of America” for U.S. users, “Gulf of Mexico” for users in Mexico, and both names elsewhere. Apple and some other platforms also vary labels by user location or locale. Major international news organizations have largely stayed with “Gulf of Mexico,” sometimes noting that the U.S. government uses “Gulf of America.” Overall, the practical result is a split: the new name is used in U.S. federal contexts, but internationally the traditional name remains dominant.

3 articles · Updated · Naples Daily News · Jul 15

Elida strengthened from Tropical Depression 5-E into a tropical storm about 565 miles south-southwest of Baja California, moving west at 15 mph with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph.
National Hurricane Center forecasts steady strengthening over the next few days, with Elida expected to reach hurricane strength by Thursday night and peak on Friday.
In the eastern Pacific, forecasters are also tracking three disturbances, including one south of Mexico with an 80% chance of development within seven days and another near Johnston Atoll at 60%.
Separately, the Atlantic remains relatively quiet, though the National Hurricane Center sees a 20% seven-day chance of development in the northeastern Gulf, where heavy rain could affect Florida and the Southeast early next week.