A dangerous tropical storm is developing along the U.S. Gulf Coast, threatening Florida, Louisiana, and Texas with life-threatening conditions including flooding rains and high winds starting Monday.
A tropical depression, a precursor to a tropical storm, was located approximately 110 miles south of Panama City, Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center. The system is forecast to move northwest across the Gulf of Mexico and develop into a tropical storm as it approaches the U.S. coastline.
Storm conditions are expected to impact areas from the Florida Panhandle westward to Louisiana by Tuesday, the National Weather Service in New Orleans predicted. Forecasters anticipate flash flooding from western Florida to central Texas through Friday, with rainfall totals potentially reaching up to 5 inches along the Louisiana coast. Accompanying these rains will be wind gusts of up to 40 mph.
Officials have issued warnings for a potential "life-threatening" storm surge along the coasts of Alabama, Mississippi, and southeastern Louisiana. A storm surge watch is already in effect from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Alabama-Florida border. Additionally, a tropical storm watch has been issued for the area stretching from Florida's Ochlockonee River to the border of Jefferson and Plaquemines parishes in southeastern Louisiana.
Forecasters are also cautioning about storm surges of up to four feet along the coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi. There is also a risk of isolated tornadoes in Florida's Big Bend region.