Remnants of Ivan Swing Back into the Gulf (now a tropical storm)

[Maddy McCall]

NEW ORLEANS - Remnants of Hurricane Ivan swung back into the Gulf of Mexico and developed into a tropical storm Wednesday, prompting warnings in Louisiana and southeastern Texas. The storm was expected to make landfall sometime Thursday night.

The remnants kicked seas up several feet, posing a threat to fragile barrier islands and their beaches in both states, and forced some offshore oil and gas crews to head home.

A tropical storm warning was issued from the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana west to Sargent, Texas.

Ivan was upgraded to a tropical storm after sustained winds were measured near 40 mph. The Hurricane Center said the storm could strengthen before landfall.

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After hitting Florida last Thursday as a hurricane, Ivan weakened and broke apart, with most of the storm heading north to drench southern and mid-Atlantic states. A slice of the storm turned southward, however, and dropped up to 5 inches of rain Monday on Florida before moving into the Gulf.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=718&e=10&u=/ap/20040923/ap_on_re_us/ivan_remnants

[jmcgowanjm]

1. what are the odds n/t