Disturbance in the Gulf could bring heavy rains to Florida Panhandle later this week
After a punishing hurricane season last year, the Gulf Coast could be in for even more drenching rain later this week.
The National Hurricane Center is tracking a disturbance near the Bay of Campeche off the coast of Mexico that is forecast to head toward Louisiana, Mississippi and Northwest Florida later this week — possibly as a tropical depression — and bring upwards of 7 inches of rain.
As of the 2 p.m. Wednesday advisory, the disturbance was still producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms over the Bay of Campeche and southern Mexico. Forecasters say the system will head north on Thursday and will likely turn into a depression by or on Friday as it moves across the western Gulf of Mexico.
It has a 70% chance of formation in the next 48 hours and a 90% chance of formation through the next five days, according to the hurricane center. An Air Force Reserve Unit reconnaisance aircraft is scheduled to investigate the area Thursday,
“Regardless of development, heavy rainfall will continue over portions of Central America and southern Mexico during the next several days. Heavy rains could also begin to affect portions of the northern Gulf Coast on Friday,” forecasters wrote.
Florida Panhandle Father’s Day forecast
Northwest Florida is forecast to see a breezy Father’s Day weekend, with heavy rain and marine and beach type hazards, including life-threatening rip currents, according to the National Weather Service in Tallahassee.
The bad weather will be influenced by the system in the Gulf of Mexico.
The forecast is calling for most of the Panhandle to see between 3 to 6 inches of rain Friday through Tuesday, with some areas possibly seeing more rain or even river flooding, according to the weather service.
At the moment, the hurricane center isn’t expecting the disturbance to strengthen into a tropical storm. If it did, it would be the third named storm of the season. Tropical Storm Bill sputtered out late Tuesday.
NOAA’s latest prediction suggests the Atlantic is in for 13 to 20 named storms. Two have already occurred. The next name on the list is Claudette.
