Tropical Depression Nears U.S. Gulf Coast

A tropical depression on a track toward the U.S. Gulf Coast could bring severe weather this week. Monday afternoon, it was centered 105 miles south of Panama City, Florida, with winds up to 35 mph. Gradual strengthening is expected, and the system may become a tropical storm soon, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

The storm is moving northwest at a slow pace near 3 mph. It may approach or follow the northern Gulf Coast over the coming days. Authorities have issued a storm surge watch from the Mississippi River’s mouth to the Alabama-Florida border. In addition, a tropical storm watch is in effect stretching from the Ochlockonee River in Florida to southeastern Louisiana.

The National Weather Service in New Orleans highlighted potential storm conditions spreading from the Florida Panhandle to Louisiana by Tuesday. These conditions could include wind gusts of 40 mph and a possible life-threatening storm surge for coasts along Alabama, Mississippi, and southeastern Louisiana. Surges might reach four feet in the Louisiana and Mississippi coastlines, the hurricane center warned. The Florida Big Bend region may also experience isolated tornadoes this week.

Flash flooding is anticipated from western Florida to Texas until Friday. Rainfall on the Louisiana coast could range from 3 to 5 inches, with higher levels in some areas like south of Lake Pontchartrain.

In a separate development, Tropical Storm Fausto in the eastern Pacific Ocean is approaching hurricane status. Monday’s update showed sustained winds at 70 mph, and Fausto was situated 745 miles southwest of Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula. Moving northwest at 10 mph, it poses no land threat.