Tropical Storm Francine forms in Gulf of Mexico, forecast to strengthen into hurricane: NHC

TAMPA, Fla. - Tropical Storm Francine has formed in the Gulf of Mexico, becoming the sixth named storm of the hurricane season a day before the official peak of the season, the NHC reported. 

According to the National Hurricane Center, Francine should eventually become a hurricane before making its way onto land somewhere near the Texas and Louisiana coast. 

Hurricane Watches were issued for the Louisiana coast, according to the NHC. In those areas, there is an increasing risk of damaging hurricane-force winds, beginning Wednesday.

Tropical Storm Watches are in effect for northeastern Mexico and extreme southern Texas, according to the NHC, with potential impacts beginning Tuesday night.  

FOX 13 Meteorologist Valerie Mills said the waters in the Gulf of Mexico are very warm, making conditions very favorable for the development of that disturbance.

According to the NHC, Francine is forecast to be a hurricane when it reaches the northwestern Gulf coast on Wednesday or Wednesday night. There is an increasing likelihood of life-threatening storm surge inundation for portions of the Upper Texas and Louisiana coastlines. 

Maximum sustained winds for the disturbance are currently near 65 mph, and more significant intensification is forecast to occur on Tuesday. 

Elsewhere in the tropics, there are two disturbances in the Atlantic offering medium chances for development over the next week. 

According to the NHC, an area of low pressure in the central tropical Atlantic could meet marginally conducive environmental conditions over the next few days, and a tropical depression could form. There is a 60 percent chance of development for the next two days and a 60 percent chance of development over the next week.

And a trough of low pressure located several hundred miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands is expected to interact with an approaching tropical wave.

After that, the NHC reported environmental conditions are favorable for gradual development of this system, with a tropical depression possibly forming during the middle to latter part of the week. It has a 60 percent chance of development over the next week. 

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