Published: Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

Updated: Sunday, Nov. 08, 2009

T.S. Ida expected to bring rain to Manatee

MANATEE — Tropical Storm Ida is expected to drop rain on Manatee County this week as it moves through the Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Weather Service.

“It’s going to continue weakening Monday, and by Tuesday it’s going to be somewhere on the eastern Gulf coast close to extreme western Florida panhandle,” said Anthony Reynes, a NWS meteorologist in Ruskin.

Reynes said forecasters did not expect Ida’s winds to reach Manatee.

Ida is forecasted to develop intensity today in the Caribbean, possibly again hurricane status, but that’s expected to be brief, Reynes said.

Reynes said residents should be mindful of the changing storm system.

“Just keep monitoring the situation,” he said. “We’re going to be here 24 hours a day. We’re keeping a close eye on it. Just remain aware of what’s going on.”

Meanwhile, officials readied storm shelters along Mexico’s Caribbean coast Saturday and told fishermen and tour operators to pull in their boats amid warnings that Ida could become a hurricane as it neared the resort city of Cancun.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Ida’s winds strengthened to near 70 mph, just short of a Category 1 hurricane.

Ida’s forecast track moved slightly toward the north, on a path that would take it through the middle of the Yucatan Channel that separates Mexico and Cuba around midday Sunday. Forecasters predicted Ida would then weaken and enter the Gulf of Mexico at tropical storm strength and possibly brush the U.S. Gulf Coast next week.

Tropical-storm warnings were issued for the Mexican coastline from Punta Allen, south of Tulum, to San Felipe at the top of the Yucatan Peninsula, an area that includes Cancun. The warnings were also in effect for western Cuba and Grand Cayman Island.

A hurricane watch was in effect from Tulum to Cabo Catoche.

Saturday evening, Ida was centered about 280 miles east-southeast of Cozumel, and about 165 miles south-southeast of the western tip of Cuba. It was moving north-northwest at about 10 mph.