Tropical Depression Two takes aim at the Gulf Coast, threatening heavy rain and flooding
By Meteorologist Melissa Nord, CNN
(CNN) — Tropical Depression Two has formed in the northeastern Gulf and is expected to bring heavy rain and tropical storm-force gusts to the northern and eastern Gulf Coast in the coming days.
Tropical Depression Two is forecast to become a tropical storm tonight or Monday, at which point it will be called Tropical Storm Bertha.
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A Hurricane Hunter plane is scheduled to fly into the system Sunday to gather information about its winds, pressure and the weather environment around it.
Impacts:
Rainfall: Widespread totals of 2 to 4 inches, up to 8 inches possible in the strongest thunderstorms. (Rain forecast map below.)
Storm surge: Water levels could rise 1 to 3 feet above normal along the coast of the Big Bend region in Florida, from Indian Pass to Chassahowitzka.
Wind: Tropical storm conditions are likely along the coast, including wind gusts exceeding 40 mph.
A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the coast of the Florida Panhandle from the Ochlockonee River west to the Florida-Alabama border. In these locations, tropical storm conditions are possible within the next 36 to 48 hours.
In addition, heavy rainfall could lead to flash flooding as tropical rain bands associated with Tropical Depression Two move onshore, with the system’s center remaining offshore. Rain totals could be 2 to 4 inches with isolated higher amounts up to 8 inches for the northeastern Gulf Coast to the western Florida peninsula.
A storm surge of 1 to 3 feet is also possible along Florida’s Big Bend region.
Steering currents are very weak, so Tropical Depression Two will continue moving slowly over the next couple of days to the north-northwest. Although it is battling some dry air, wind shear remains lighter, so some additional strengthening is possible as the storm approaches the Gulf Coast of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana by midweek.
It has been more than a month since a named storm has been in the Atlantic Ocean Basin. Tropical Storm Arthur formed mid-June and made landfall hours later on the Texas coast near Galveston. NOAA predicts a lower-than-average number of named systems in the Atlantic this season due to the formation and strengthening of El Niño.
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