Weather has been influencing the Deepwater Horizon disaster since the oil leak began more than 2 months ago. Wind kept the bulk of the spill offshore for weeks. Now, weather may be influencing it again, in the form of a tropical storm.

There is an area of disturbance south of Cuba that has a 70% chance of  developing into a tropical storm within the next 48 hours. The track is north - west, toward the Gulf of Mexico.

If the storm tracks to the west of the Deepwater Horizon well site, the oil spill would be carried directly toward land. If the storm tracks to the east of the Deepwater Horizon site, it  would cause the circular motion of the storm to push the oil spill away from the shore. However an easterly track would also bring the effects of the weather-pushed oil closer to Tampa Bay.

There is a desalinization plant near Tampa Bay that provides drinking water to approximately 1.8 million people. Plans on how the city intends to deal with the oil spill in the event of a tropical storm or hurricane could not be confirmed.