NORMS continues to send thoughts to our friends and family in the Gulf Coast as Hurricane Alex strengthens. Hoping that Alex will steer clear of the oil spill area.

2010 Tropical Storm Alex-Hurricane Alex:The first tropical storm of the 2010 Atlantic Hurricane Season will be named “Alex”. Its path could determine the fate of the Gulf Oil Spill. If the storm tracks into the central Gulf it could push the spill landward but if it moves farther east it could pull the spill into the Atlantic.

Tropical Storm Alex has emerged into the very warm waters of the Bay of Campeche overnight after making landfall in Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Alex continues to strengthen and organize and is expected to reach hurricane strength later tonight or Tuesday. Alex has the potential to reach major hurricane strength later Tuesday or Wednesday if low shear conditions exist with the very warm Southwest Gulf of Mexico temperatures. A Hurricane Watch is now in effect for the Coast of Texas south of Baffin Bay to the mouth of the Rio Grande and the Coast of Mexico from the mouth of the Rio Grande to La Cruz. Remember, a Hurricane Watch is now issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical storm force conditions.

Alex is expected to regain strength in the coming days as it moves over warmer waters in the Gulf and possibly become a hurricane headed toward Mexico’s coast, well away from the area where BP PLC is trying to stop a massive oil leak, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.