For almost 3 weeks the weather system that eventually generated short-lived Tropical depression #5has followed a circuitous route from the western Atlantic off the northeastern coast of Florida, diagonally down the Florida peninsula to the Florida straits, through the Florida Keys, into the Gulf of Mexico, coming onshore and penetrating deep inland in Louisiana, and then back through Alabama into the Gulf where it is now tracking mostly toward the west by northwest; this is indeed quite a long journey to always remain near Florida.
As of 4:00 P.M. EST as the system was some 120 miles south of the Mississippi River delta over Gulf waters the National Hurricane Center was still assigning it a 60% chance of potential tropical cyclone development in the 48 hours, although in general the atmospheric environment appears marginally conducive to further development, despite the Gulf waters being as warm as they are (around 88 – 89 F).
Only time will tell how much longer this former tropical depression #5 will continue on its journey, at the moment it is still generating lots of rain and thunderstorms as well as gusty winds while it appears headed for what could be a third landfall perhaps in Texas.
The remnants of TD #5 have, yet again, moved inland over Mississippi and Louisiana weakening significantly in the process. Beyond localized rain and storms there appear to be no looming external drivers to ‘reactivate’ this long lasting weather system. Perhaps this marks the final dissipation of what once and briefly was tropical depression #5.