Tropical Depression Two forms in the Gulf, will bring heavy rain and coastal flooding
Tropical Depression Two occurred It will affect the northeast Gulf and is expected to bring heavy rain and tropical storm force winds to the northern and eastern Gulf Coast in the coming days.
Tropical Depression Two is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm tonight or Monday, at which point it will be called Tropical Storm Bertha.
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A Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to fly into the system on Sunday to collect information about winds, pressure and weather conditions around it.
Effects:
precipitation: Common totals of 2 to 4 inches are possible in the strongest storms, with up to 8 inches possible. (The rain forecast map is below.)
Storm surge: Along the coast of Florida’s Big Bend region, from Indian Pass to Chassahowitzka, water levels may rise 1 to 3 feet above normal.
Wind: Tropical storm conditions are likely along the coast, including winds in excess of 40 mph.
A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the Florida Panhandle from west of the Ochlockonee River to the Florida-Alabama border. It is possible for these regions to experience tropical storm conditions in the next 36 to 48 hours.
In addition, heavy rains can lead to flash flooding as the tropical rain bands associated with Tropical Depression Two move towards the coast, leaving the center of the system exposed. Rain totals could reach 2 to 4 inches, with isolated higher amounts from the northeastern Gulf Coast to the western Florida peninsula reaching up to 8 inches.
A storm surge of 1 to 3 feet is also possible across Florida’s Big Bend region.
Steering currents are very weak, so Tropical Depression Two will continue to move slowly north-northwestward over the next few days. Although dealing with some dry air, wind shear remains lighter, so it’s possible the storm will strengthen a bit as it approaches the Alabama Gulf Coast, Mississippi and Louisiana by mid-week.
More than a month has passed since a named storm occurred in the Atlantic Ocean Basin. Tropical Storm Arthur formed in mid-June and made landfall on the Texas coast near Galveston hours later. NOAA predicts: below average number of named systems in the Atlantic this season due to Formation and strengthening of El Niño.
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