The eighth tropical depression of the young Atlantic hurricane season formed in the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday night.
Earlier Wednesday afternoon, Hurricane Hunters found a closed circulation and low enough pressure for a tropical depression, but the National Hurricane Center waited until convection got a little better organized Wednesday night before upgrading the system.
TD #8 with 30 mph sustained winds, was located in the Central Gulf of Mexico, moving slowly to the west-northwest at 6 mph, and is expected to slowly intensify and become a tropical storm by Friday.
The next name on the list is "Hanna".
Tropical Storm Watches were issued for much of Texas coast from Port Mansfield to High Island, but no watches are in effect for Louisiana at this time.
This system is expected to make landfall somewhere along the Texas Coast by Saturday with its main wind impacts and heavy rains expected there.
However, the chance of tropical rain bands moving into Southern Louisiana and Acadiana will commence Thursday, with higher rain chances and the threat of some locally heavy tropical downpours Friday, likely continuing into Saturday.
While the latter part of the week and the weekend won't be all day washouts, there will be periods of some heavy, lumbering tropical showers and storms that could contain gusty winds and perhaps some funnel clouds...widespread severe weather is not expected nor are any damaging winds.
As for rainfall totals, the forecast remains a tough call, but localized heavy rains of anywhere from 1-3" will be possible each day Friday and Saturday, with deep tropical moisture continuing to linger into Sunday and perhaps through a good portion of next week.
For now, most models are keeping the heaviest rains offshore and ear-marked for Texas, but that could change.
The greatest risk of heavier rains in Acadiana should generally be confined along and south of the I-10 corridor.
Meanwhile, offshore winds and seas will gradually increase into the Friday and Saturday time frame, with tides likely increasing along the coast to 1-2 feet above normal astronomical levels, or more, depending on the potential storm's intensity.
Stay tuned to KATC and KATC social media for the latest and for any changes that may occur with this system.
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