Tropical Formation In The Gulf Likely This Week
A broad area of low pressure currently located over central Georgia could become Acadiana's weather maker later this week. That's because forecasters with the National Hurricane Center are suggesting this system could slide southward into the northern Gulf of Mexico over the next few days were conditions are favorable for tropical development.
Development, if any, will be slow over the next few days as the system is still located over land. However, later this week forecasters project that the system will be fueled by the warm waters of the Gulf. The current probability for tropical formation is listed at 70% over the next five days.
As of now the proximity of the system to the coast should work to keep major strengthening in check. Still, the possibility of a tropical depression or tropical storm cannot be ruled out. Regardless of strength, the system could become a prodigious rainmaker for most of the northern Gulf of Mexico by Friday.
The European Forecast Model suggests the system will recenter itself into the northern Gulf of Mexico by Wednesday. Then the Euro Model shows the system moving slowly south and west before making a northerly turn at the Louisiana Gulf Coast near the Texas line over the weekend.
Should the system strengthen to Tropical Storm status it would be given the name Barry.