The National Hurricane Center is closely monitoring a system in the Gulf of Mexico that is projected to strengthen into a tropical storm in the coming days.
An advisory released early Monday indicated that the system, referred to as Invest 97L, is generating showers and thunderstorms, showing signs of organization with a broad low-pressure area over the northwestern Caribbean Sea. If it develops into a storm, it will be called Helene.
Favorable environmental conditions suggest that a tropical depression or storm could form within the next few days as the system continues to move northward into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. The NHC warns that, regardless of whether it strengthens, heavy rainfall is expected across parts of Central America over the next several days. Those in the northwestern Caribbean, the Yucatan Peninsula, and western Cuba should monitor the system’s progress closely.
As it advances, the system is expected to move northward through the eastern Gulf of Mexico, raising concerns for interests along the northeastern Gulf Coast.
Additionally, the NHC is tracking a tropical wave located between western Africa and the Cabo Verde Islands, producing disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity. Conditions there also appear conducive for gradual development, with a tropical depression likely to form by the middle to latter part of the week as it moves west-northwest across the eastern and central tropical Atlantic. The likelihood of formation for this system stands at 70 percent over the next week.
In another development, Tropical Storm John was reported to be about 130 miles south of Punta Maldonado, with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. This prompted the Mexican government to issue a Hurricane Watch and a Tropical Storm Warning for the area stretching from Punta Maldonado to Bahias de Huatulco. John is moving slowly to the north-northeast and is expected to approach the southern coast of Mexico within the next couple of days, potentially strengthening into a hurricane before landfall.
The NHC predicts that the impacted regions could see between 6 to 12 inches of rain, with localized totals around 15 inches in Chiapas. Areas along the coast of Oaxaca to southeast Guerrero may receive between 10 and 20 inches, with isolated amounts nearing 30 inches by Thursday. This heavy rainfall could lead to significant flash flooding and mudslides, posing a serious threat to life in these areas.