The National Hurricane Center on Monday continued to track a tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico that could become Hurricane Francine soon.
The storm, currently being called Potential Tropical Cyclone Six, is expected to become Tropical Storm Francine later today and then quickly strengthen, becoming a Category 1 hurricane on Wednesday.
By then the storm is expected to be approaching the northern Gulf Coast, and landfall could come in Louisiana.
A tropical disturbance in the Gulf of Mexico will likely become Tropical Storm Francine today. It is expected to quickly strengthen and become a hurricane before making landfall on the northern Gulf Coast on Wednesday.National Hurricane Center
As of 7 a.m. CDT Monday, the estimated center of Potential Tropical Cyclone Six was located about 545 miles south of Cameron, La., and was on a path to the north-northwest at 5 mph.
The disturbance had sustained winds of 50 mph, which is more than enough for it to be considered a tropical storm. However, it was still not quite organized enough to get that title, according to forecasters.
The hurricane center’s so called “cone of uncertainty” doesn’t include the Alabama coast as of Monday. However, it will make for rough surf, heavy rain and rip currents along the coast, and what’s left of the storm could impact the state later this week after it moves inland.
The cone indicates where forecasters think the center of the storm could go. Effects from the storm, such as wind, rain and surge, could be felt far from where the center makes landfall.
SOUTH ALABAMA
The National Weather Service in Mobile continued to closely watch the storm on Monday and said areas along Alabama’s coast should expect increasingly rough surf and a heightened threat of rip currents starting today.
Here’s the rip current forecast for the next few days:
A high risk of rip currents will begin on Tuesday night along the Alabama coast.NWS
The weather service said tropical moisture should increase in south Alabama starting on Tuesday along with climbing rain chances.
The rain could be heavy at times, and those tropical downpours could cause localized flooding.
The main days for rain along the coast look to be Wednesday and Thursday.
CENTRAL AND NORTH ALABAMA
The weather service offices in Birmingham and Huntsville were also watching the storm, which could bring needed rainfall to parts of central and north Alabama later this week.
Who gets the most rain depends on the track of the weakening storm as it moves farther inland. As of Monday morning the hurricane center’s track had the center of what’s left of the storm possibly tracking into northwest Alabama on Thursday into Friday.
If the track doesn’t change then Alabama will end up on the eastern side of the storm, where it could potentially get more rain, wind and the risk for quick-hitting tropical tornadoes.
However, the weather service on Monday said the tornado threat was “too low to mention at this time.”
Forecasters said wind gusts up to 30 mph will be possible for areas in west and north Alabama, mainly on Thursday.
Areas in west Alabama could also get some much-needed rainfall.
The weather service said 2 to 3 inches of rain will be possible, with areas west of the Interstate 65 corridor possibly getting more.
Here is the seven-day precipitation outlook from NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center:
Parts of Alabama could get 2 to 3 inches of rain — and possibly more, thanks to a tropical storm in the Gulf. This is the seven-day precipitation outlook.WPC
