Gulf depression likely to intensify into tropical storm, surge and flood watches issued
A tropical depression south of Florida is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm later this week, prompting storm surge and tropical storm watches along the Gulf Coast.
A tropical depression centered about 105 miles south of Panama City, Florida, is forecast to gain strength and reach tropical storm status within hours, according to the National Hurricane Center. The system is moving northwest at roughly 3 mph and could approach the northern Gulf Coast over the next several days.
A storm surge watch now covers the area from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Alabama-Florida border, while a tropical storm watch extends from Florida’s Ochlockonee River westward to the Jefferson and Plaquemines parish line in southeastern Louisiana. The National Weather Service in New Orleans warned that wind gusts of around 40 mph may affect the Florida Panhandle through Louisiana by Tuesday and noted the potential for a life-threatening storm surge along the Alabama, Mississippi and southeastern Louisiana coasts.
The hurricane center said storm surges of up to four feet could affect parts of the Louisiana and Mississippi shorelines, and isolated tornadoes are possible over Florida’s Big Bend region. Flash-flooding is also forecast through Friday from western Florida to central Texas, with rainfall totals of 3 to 5 inches expected along the Louisiana coast and higher amounts south of Lake Pontchartrain.
In a separate system, Tropical Storm Fausto in the eastern Pacific intensified to 70 mph winds and is moving northwest away from Mexico, posing no land threat.