Potential Tropical Cyclone 9 Heads for Gulf Coast

It's still Potential Tropical Cyclone 9, but the National Hurricane Center expected the system to move up the Gulf coast as a tropical storm or hurricane making landfall in the Panhandle or Big Bend on Thursday.

Current Position/Movement:

LOCATION...18.1N 82.2W

ABOUT 105 MI...170 KM SW OF GRAND CAYMAN

ABOUT 315 MI...510 KM SE OF THE WESTERN TIP OF CUBA

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...35 MPH...55 KM/H

PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNW OR 345 DEGREES AT 7 MPH...11 KM/H

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1003 MB...29.62 INCHES

Watches and Warnings Now in Effect:

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for...

* Cabo Catoche to Tulum, Mexico

* Cuban province of Pinar del Rio

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for...

* Rio Lagartos to Tulum, Mexico

* Cuban provinces of Artemisa, and Pinar del Rio, and the Isle of Youth

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for...

* Dry Tortugas

* Lower Keys south of the Seven Mile Bridge

At 500 PM EDT (2100 UTC), the disturbance was centered near latitude 18.1 North, longitude 82.2 West. The system is moving toward the north-northwest near 7 mph (11 km/h). A northwestward motion is expected on Tuesday and Tuesday night, followed by a faster northward to north-northeastward motion on Wednesday and Thursday.

On the forecast track, the center of the system is forecast to move across the northwestern Caribbean Sea through Tuesday night, and then over the eastern Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday and Thursday.

Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. Strengthening is expected during the next few days, and the system is forecast to become a hurricane on Wednesday and continue strengthening on Thursday as it moves across the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

* Formation chance through 48 hours...high...90 percent.

* Formation chance through 7 days...high...90 percent.

The estimated minimum central pressure is 1003 mb (29.62 inches).