Good morning! Just reading the latest update from NOAA on the oil slick, they are finally indicating what we have all week long: that the southwesterly breezes that pushed the oil toward the western Panhandle over the last few days have been replaced by easterlies/southeasterlies. This, coupled with westward moving water currents, has effectively stopped the eastward spread of the oil slick -- saving, for the moment, beaches in the central and eastern Panhandle. You can read the full NOAA update here.
Easterly and southeasterly wind is expected to continue over the rest of the week, pushing the oil slick away from Florida and toward Lousiana and Mississippi. As a front moves into the southeast early next week, though, the wind could again turn in from the west or west-southwest, threatening Florida beaches once again. We'll keep you updated.
Brian
