Distance Between Loop Current and Oil Slick Increases

KEYS TOURISM ADVISORY 7 May 10, 2010 • 11:30 AM EDT

News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council

Distance Between Loop Current and Oil Slick Increases

Winds in the northern Gulf of Mexico are helping to keep the oil slick, emanating from the Transocean/BP spill, away from the Loop Current as well as other coastal regions of Florida.

According to official estimates, as of Monday morning the southern edge of the slick was projected to be about 100 miles from the northern edge of the Loop Current. Friday afternoon, it was about 40 miles. That distance is likely to increase as National Weather Service forecasters project that winds will blow from the east and southeast for much of the remainder of the week in the northern Gulf.

There are no impacts forecast for the next 72 hours to any part of the state of Florida and likely much longer for the Keys. State officials continue to encourage travel to all of Florida.

On the Sunday edition of CBS's "Face the Nation," Admiral Thad Allen, commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard who is in charge of the government’s response said officials at the preset time think there is a low chance of the oil reaching the Loop Current.
“That (Loop Current) is significantly south of the southern edge of the spill right now,” said Allen. “It does not appear to be a threat right now."

Still, until leaks are plugged, officials must continue to closely monitor and plan strategic responses for any possible oil landings in Florida including the Keys.

A giant concrete-and-steel containment box that was lowered at the end of last week developed problems when an icy slush formed inside and thwarted plans to funnel the oil to a surface tanker. According to the Associated Press, BP is now examining several other options to stop leaks including trying a smaller containment box and injecting debris including shredded rubber into the well as a stopper. The challenge with all proposed solutions is that they have never been tried in 5,000 feet of water.

The Monroe County Commission has scheduled a special workshop focusing on any needed preparations for the oil spill for Tuesday, May 11, to begin at 1 p.m. at the Murray Nelson Government Center situated at 10250 Overseas Highway, mile marker 102.5 bayside in Key Largo. The commission is to hear from administrator Roman Gastesi, representatives from Monroe County Emergency Management, Department of Environmental Protection and NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The meeting is open to the public.
The Monroe County tourism council continues to update its http://www.fla-keys.com website with information regarding the spill and its relationship to the Keys. On the website are NOAA forecast tracking maps, a map showing the spill site in relation to the Keys, links to area Webcams and more.
TDC social media sites include:

http://www.keysvoices.com • http://twitter.com/thefloridakeys • http://www.facebook.com/floridakeysandkeywest
Spill-related websites, primarily focusing on affected areas, include:

http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com • http://www.noaa.gov