Millions of Gulf Coast residents warned of tropical-storm threat: ‘Be on guard’

Millions of Gulf Coast residents are being warned to stay on alert over a possible tropical storm in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico later this week.

The National Hurricane Center said several potentially severe low-pressure systems are brewing in the region — with computer forecast models depicting a strong tropical storm developing over the next seven days.

“A low pressure system is expected to form in the NW Caribbean Sea in a few days and it has a 70% chance of development while it moves generally northward across the Gulf of Mexico,” the NHC said in its latest outlook.

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“Environmental conditions appear favorable for gradual development of this system during the next several days,” it continued. “A tropical depression is likely to form while the system moves slowly northward across the northwestern Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico through the end of the week.”

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The odds for the system developing have been gradually increasing in recent days, according to the center.

The threat of the system forming into a tropical disturbance within the next 48 hours, though, is low, the NHC said.

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While forecasters warn there is still a lot of uncertainty on how the storm could actually develop, they say those living on the Gulf Coast should be prepared.

“I really just want you to be on guard, really all the way from Texas to Florida, for tropical development,” FOX Weather meteorologist Michael Estime said.

Regardless of any developments, the NHC warned the system was expected to dump heavy rains over parts of Central America in the coming days.

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