Texas Cold Front To Stave Off Potential Triple Threat Of Storms

HOUSTON, TX — A cold front could bring a little rain to Houston on Tuesday night and Wednesday, but only a small amount of moisture. Not only will this cool front bring lower temperatures, it is projected to hold off a disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico as well as thwart the possibility of Hurricane Irma advancing into the western Gulf.

Hurricane Irma continues to churn in the Atlantic Ocean as a Category 5 storm barreling toward the Leeward Islands. Irma is expected to slam Puerto Rico this week before maneuvering between Cuba and Miami, Florida late Friday night. The storm at that point could either moved more westerly into the Gulf or turn northward into Alabama or Western Florida.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has activated 100 members of the Florida Air and Army National Guard ahead of the storm. All 7,000 members are expected to report for duty on Friday. The guard members activated Tuesday are being asked to assist with ongoing preparation for the storm, Scott said in a statement.

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"Per my direction, they will be stationed throughout the state," Scott said. "I have also directed all 7,000 guard members to report for duty this Friday, however, if resources are needed before then, I stand ready to activate as many guard members needed to support our aggressive preparedness actions."

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Saba, St. Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Saint Martin, Saint Barthelemy, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Vieques, and Culebra. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Guadeloupe, Dominican Republic from Cabo Engano to the northern border with Haiti, Haiti from the northern border with the Dominican Republic to Le Mole St. Nicholas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Southeastern Bahamas.

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Guadeloupe and Dominica. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Dominican Republic from south of Cabo Engao to Isla Saona and for Haiti from south of Le Mole St. Nicholas to Port-Au-Prince.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Juan is developing behind Irma in the Atlantic and is projected to take a similar path as Irma, or perhaps a little south.

The disturbance in the western Gulf of Mexico is developing rotation, and it's in the same location Harvey was two weeks ago today. Meteorologists expect it to form into a tropical storm and head east, mostly because of the cold front blowing through Texas that will send that system away from Texas. This same cold front is also expected to stave off Irma and help push it into Florida or Alabama, which would greatly benefit Texas after Harvey's devastation.

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