The National Hurricane Center tagged an area off the Texas coast Friday for possible tropical development. FOX Weather Meteorologist Bob Van Dillen has the latest forecast.
MIAMI — A broad disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico is now being monitored for potential tropical development.
According to the National Hurricane Center, a trough of low pressure is currently producing a large but disorganized area of thunderstorms along and just offshore the Texas and Louisiana coasts.
New area to watch for tropical development in the Gulf of Mexico.
(FOX Weather)
With little in the way of winds to steer the system, storms are expected to meander near the coast through much of next week. But some slow tropical development is possible if the system remains offshore over the warm Gulf of Mexico waters, according to the NHC.
Right now, the NHC is only giving low odds of development into at least a tropical depression within the next week. The agency warned that regardless of tropical development, heavy rains could cause flash flooding along portions of the Louisiana and upper Texas coasts over the next few days.
Gulf Rain Forecast
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Rainfall totals could reach 5-8 inches through the Labor Day weekend in those areas, with isolated spots approaching a foot of rain.
NHC monitoring two other areas in Atlantic basin for potential tropical development
The new Gulf disturbance now joins two other disturbances tracked by the NHC. The one with currently the highest odds for development remains about halfway across the Atlantic. Thunderstorms remained disorganized as of Friday, but the NHC says storms have become more concentrated near its axis.
ATLANTIC AWAKENS WITH 2 TROPICAL DISTURBANCES BEING TRACKED AS HURRICANE SEASON NEARS PEAK
The storm is currently holding at a medium chance of developing into at least a tropical depression if not more over the next seven days.
Atlantic Tropical Overview
(FOX Weather)
Farther east, another potential tropical disturbance is just emerging off the west coast of Africa. The NHC says that the system is currently just a disorganized area of thunderstorms that are a little more concentrated near its axis, but atmospheric conditions do indicate the potential for slow development toward the middle of next week as it drifts over the eastern tropical Atlantic.
The agency pegs the current development odds as low during the next seven days.