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Have you spent any time on the Gulf Coast beaches this May or June?

You may have noticed the water felt abnormally nice & warm! Many spots along the Gulf Coast are reporting water temperatures in the middle 80s, which is 1-3+ degrees above normal for mid June.

Gulf of Mexico water temperatures are near record hot this early in the Atlantic Hurricane season according to data by Meteorologist Michael Lowry. While warm Gulf of Mexico water temperatures make for a nice beach vacation…those same warm water temperatures can help fuel any tropical storms and hurricanes that develop in the Gulf of Mexico this year.

So…while there’s no tropical activity in the Atlantic Basin presently, we will have our fingers crossed for no storms in the Gulf this season to tap into the extra warm waters!

As always, stay prepared and check the forecast weekly from WGNO & the WGNO Weather Team!