Hurricane center says gulf storm will likely become tropical cyclone
- NEW: The National Hurricane Center says a tropical storm could develop
- Shell is evacuating some people from oil operations in the southwestern Gulf
- A hurricane hunter plane is to investigate the weather system
(CNN) -- Oil companies with off-shore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico are taking precautions amid threatening storm forecasts for the area around Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, including the chance of a tropical cyclone.
Satellite images show that a tropical depression or tropical storm could be forming about 90 miles north of Cancun, Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said in a Wednesday afternoon forecast.
The weather service said people in the northeastern part of the peninsula and in the central and western Gulf "should monitor the progress of this system as it moves west-northwest near 15 mph."
The system has a "near 100%" chance of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours. An Air Force Reserve "hurricane hunter" plane was to investigate the system later on Wednesday.
Tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes are all types of tropical cyclones.
The Shell company has begun securing current well operations in the extreme southwestern Gulf of Mexico and evacuated some people Tuesday and Wednesday.
"Our total expected evacuated personnel is approximately 70 people," the company said. "These personnel are not essential to core producing and drilling operations and will not be able to perform their normal work functions during the passing storm conditions. Production is not expected to be affected at this time."
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Posted by: supra TK Society | October 19, 2011 at 05:07 PM