After a prolonged quiet period, the Atlantic Hurricane Basin is starting to show some signs of activity: according to the National Hurricane Center, a tropical cyclone is forming in the Gulf of Mexico. Experts with the Miami, Florida-based National Hurricane Center (NHC) say there’s a 70% chance that a disturbance in the Gulf will develop into a tropical cyclone over the next 48 hours
In their latest Tropical Outlook issued a short time ago, the NHC says that the showers and thunderstorms associated with the broad low pressure area over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico and the Bay of Campeche continue to become better organized. “Environmental conditions appear favorable for additional development, and a tropical depression could form later today, tonight, or on Saturday while the system moves northwestward across the southwestern and western Gulf of Mexico,” the NHC says.
However, by Saturday night, the system is expected to move inland over northeastern Mexico, which will end its chances of development.
An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircraft is currently enroute to
investigate the system.
People located along the northeastern coast of Mexico and the lower Texas coast should monitor the progress of this system. Even if a tropical cyclone doesn’t form, this system could bring locally heavy rains to portions of northeastern Mexico and southern Texas over the weekend which could create flood problems.
