TROPICAL STORM ALEX READY TO HIT LAND.

Tropical Storm Alex
By: Mike DeNora

As we continue to monitor tropical storm Alex it is becoming less likely to hit the United States. However, it is projected to hit Belize late Saturday night with winds of about 60 mph. As it travels across the country it will move over Mexico. The tropical storm should continue to have some power as it will rejuvenate once it goes back over water. More than likely though the storm won't gain enough steam to cause severe damage as it crashes into Mexico sometime on Thursday.

It is still early in the year but at least the hurricane season will hold out a bit longer in the gulf coast. This will give scientists the much needed time to help prepare for when the storms does hit in the area of the oil spill. It will be interesting how the oil reacts with a hurricane. When we stop the leak the oil will continue to spread out and will slowly dilute in the gulf area. We have no experience with hurricanes interacting with oil but researchers say that the oil will have little to no effect in strengthening or causing greater damage on land. Scientists believe that when a hurricane or tropical storm passes through this area later this year it will cause the oil to mix in with the ocean more, which would increase the speed of the bio-degradation process. This would help the birds and animals living in the region temporarily, but it will take many decades before significant improvement takes place. If the animals can't adapt to the problems the oil spill has created, there is a high likelihood that they will unfortunately go extinct.