Tropical system moving toward Gulf now has 90% chance of development
There’s now a 90% chance that the low pressure system in the western Caribbean becomes a tropical depression in the next 48 hours, forecasters say, and odds are rising that it moves into the Gulf of Mexico.
The latest tropical weather outlook from the National Hurricane Center on Saturday morning said that the system, now just southwest of Grand Cayman Island, is becoming better organized. It’s displaying more defined wind circulation and increased thunderstorms.
“Environmental conditions are conducive for further development, and a tropical depression is expected to form within the next day or so,” the report said.
It’s too soon to say whether the northern part of the Gulf, including South Mississippi, could experience effects. But the report said the disturbance could move across the southeastern part of the Gulf of Mexico by Tuesday.
“Remember, we are still in hurricane season, and now is a good time to review your hurricane plans,” the National Weather Service office in New Orleans said on Twitter.
Friday, odds that the system became a tropical depression in the next 48 hours were 70%.
The next named storm, Zeta, would be the 27th of the year, tying a record.
Danielle Manning, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Slidell, Louisiana, told McClatchy News on Friday that the storm’s likely path is still uncertain.
A cold front heading for the Gulf Coast in the middle of the next week will also affect the storm’s path, she said.
Manning said residents should prepare for the possibility of heavy rainfall.
Biloxi-Gulfport forecast
Saturday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. North wind around 5 mph.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 81. North wind around 5 mph.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63. Calm wind.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 83. Northeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 66. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Tuesday: A 30% chance of showers, mainly after 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. Northeast wind 5-10 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
Tuesday Night: A 20% chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 67. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Northeast wind 5-10 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.
Wednesday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Southeast wind 5-10 mph becoming west after midnight.
