Portions of the south Texas coast are bracing for tropical storm conditions that could bring flooding rains Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning as an area of low pressure in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to become the first tropical storm in the Atlantic basin since July 3.
There is a possibility of a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico.
There is a tropical storm warning in effect from the mouth of the Rio Grande to Boca de Catan in Mexico.
Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft are scheduled to investigate the tropical depression on Saturday to see if it has formed a closed circulation that is needed for a tropical storm to form.
The system is 200 miles south-southwest of the Rio Grande and has maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.
It is expected to make a weak tropical storm landfall late Saturday afternoon or early evening just south of the Rio Grande.
If the system organizes and strengthens, it will be called Danielle.
Even though the forecast calls for one of the most active seasons in history, there has been a lull in tropical activity over the last seven weeks. With favorable conditions across much of the Atlantic basin as the season enters what is historically its most active period, computer models show a major change in the coming weeks.
A tropical wave off the coast of Africa is being monitored by the National Hurricane Center. The system has a 20% chance of developing in the next five days, according to forecasters.
Forecasters say there could be a big increase in the activity of hurricanes in the coming weeks.
The tropical threat is cooling off as the season nears peak.
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