A tropical depression is slowly meandering in the Gulf of Mexico off the western coast of Florida, and forecasters say it could strengthen enough to bring tropical storm conditions to the Florida Panhandle by late Monday.
According to the National Hurricane Center, as of 4:00 PM CDT on Sunday, July 19, the center of the storm — known as Tropical Depression Two — was positioned near latitude 27.5 North, longitude 85.0 West. The storm’s movement was minimal at the time of the report.
The system had a minimum central pressure of 1010 millibars, with maximum sustained winds of approximately 30 mph. That places it just below tropical storm strength, which begins at 39 mph.
Residents and travelers along the Florida Panhandle are urged to monitor the latest updates from the National Hurricane Center as the storm’s track and intensity continue to be assessed.
