One thing I haven't researched yet--what are the differences between the NW Gulf Coast and the NE Gulf Coast. We know the NE Gulf Coast is relatively shallow, and a reasonable storm crippler.
Conroe Texas.. is that a safe area to be? N of Houston?
I don't think the regions are all that different. The western GOM tends to be a bit warmer as a whole though. Many storms we see in the NE GOM are being ripped apart by troughs, and are turning N or NE. This seems to cause some general problems for storms. Now, sometimes we get them moving that direction on their own, but it's not as common most of the summer. The shallow water seems to matter most when storms are moving slow enough to upwell water fast.