With less than two months remaining in the Atlantic hurricane season, a new tropical system is brewing in the southern Gulf of Mexico and could impact the United States this weekend. Tropical Depression Nine formed on Tuesday, gathering strength over the warm waters of the Bay of Campeche off the coast of Mexico. Forecast models are increasingly in agreement that the northward-moving system will approach the Gulf Coast by the weekend, bringing heavy moisture to the region. Regardless of whether the system strengthens into a named tropical storm, forecasters warn that moderate to heavy rainfall will affect the Gulf Coast and the broader Southeast from the weekend into early next week. Extended-range models indicate that this moisture could eventually reach the Ohio Valley and the Northeast by midweek. Important details such as exact timing, storm intensity, and land impact severity remain uncertain. While some forecasting models suggest impacts could begin as early as Friday evening, others indicate a later arrival over the weekend. Uncertainty also surrounds the system’s ultimate intensity. Certain models project it will remain a tropical depression, while others expect it to reach tropical storm strength. If it attains tropical storm status, it will be named Isaias. The Atlantic hurricane season, which began on June 1 and features eight named storms so far this year, is scheduled to conclude on November 30.
Source: cbsnews.com
