National Hurricane Center reports tropical depression forming off Florida Gulf Coast
The National Hurricane Center said a tropical depression has developed off the Florida Gulf Coast, issuing a tropical storm warning for the Florida Panhandle through Monday night.
A tropical depression has organized off the Gulf Coast of Florida, the National Hurricane Center announced on its website on July 19. The agency also placed a tropical storm warning in effect for the Florida Panhandle through Monday night.
Forecasters noted that while the system could intensify into a tropical storm, factors such as Saharan dust and strong wind shear are expected to limit further development. If it reaches tropical storm strength, it would be named Bertha, the second named storm of the Atlantic season after Tropical Storm Arthur in June.
The center advised residents of Gulf Coast states—including Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana—to monitor the depression, which is projected to bring high winds and heavy rain.
A tropical depression is defined by a low-pressure area with organized thunderstorms and sustained winds below 39 mph; it becomes a tropical storm when winds increase to 39-73 mph, according to NASA.
Separately, climate analysts have identified a rare "Atlantic Niño" pattern developing in the tropics alongside a strengthening Super El Niño in the Pacific, a combination that could create an atmospheric shield affecting the U.S. hurricane season.