Columbia, SC (WLTX) — The National Hurricane Center is watching the next potential tropical storm. Potential Tropical Cyclone Seven could impact the Gulf Coast this week.
Sunday evening, the disturbance was about 240 miles east-southeast of Marathon, Florida. The system had maximum winds of 30 mph with higher gusts. It was moving west-northwest at 15 mph.
Conditions will be favorable for development. It may become a tropical depression Monday.
The system will pass over the Florida Keys or southern parts of the Florida peninsula Monday. It is expected to mov over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico by Monday evening.
A tropical storm watch has been issued of portions of the central Gulf Coast from the Alabama-Florida border west to east of Morgan City, Louisiana. This includes Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.
Tropical storm conditions will be possible within the watch area by late Tuesday. Tropical storm force gusts will be possible Monday along parts of South Florida.
Heavy rainfall will be possible along the Gulf Coast by the middle of the week. This may cause some flash flooding problems.
