A tropical depression churning in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to gain enough strength to become a tropical storm before the day is out, according to the latest advisory from forecasters.
As of 4:00 AM CDT Monday, July 20, the center of Tropical Depression Two was positioned near coordinates 28.5 degrees north latitude and 85.4 degrees west longitude. The storm was tracking toward the northwest at just 3 miles per hour.
The system’s minimum central pressure was recorded at 1006 millibars, with maximum sustained winds clocking in at approximately 35 miles per hour — just below the 39 mph threshold needed for tropical storm classification.
In anticipation of the storm’s strengthening, a Tropical Storm Watch has been extended westward to the Mississippi and Alabama border, signaling that tropical storm conditions could become possible in that region.
Residents along the Gulf Coast should continue to monitor the latest updates from the National Hurricane Center as this system develops throughout the day.
