The newest Gulf oil spill map from NOAA has been posted. The oil slick continues move toward Florida from the uncapped seafloor gusher at the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig 45 miles off the Louisiana coast.
Response efforts have been stymied by choppy gulf seas over the past couple of days, but spill officials are optimistic Tuesday as the weather forecast shows sun and an ease in the winds.
Satellite images show the oil covering about 2,000 square miles of Gulf of Mexico waters.
BP has been unable to shut off the well, but crews have reported some progress using a remotely controlled underwater vehicle to dump chemicals called dispersants onto the oil as it gushes from the blown well.
Also see:
U.S. Coast Guard Flickr Photostream with more maps and photos