Tropical Storm Francine forecast to form in Gulf, grow into hurricane

The National Hurricane Center forecasts Tropical Storm Francine to form in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday and grow into a hurricane before landfall this week.

In the hurricane center’s 8 a.m. EDT advisory for what is now called Potential Tropical Cyclone Six, the system was located about 305 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Rio Grande River and 545 miles south of Cameron, Louisiana with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph moving north-northwest at 5 mph.

Tropical-storm-force winds already extend out 185 miles.

A tropical storm watch is in effect for Barra del Tordo, Mexico north to Port Mansfield, Texas.

The system is forecast to slowly continue in a northwest to north motion toward...