Tropical Storm II is poised to develop into Tropical Storm Vata in the eastern Gulf late Monday, marking the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
This system, identified as Tropical Storm 2, is anticipated to form along the eastern Gulf Coast on Sunday, bringing several days of heavy rainfall to parts of the Southeast.
As of Monday morning, Tropical Storm 2 was located roughly 160 miles south of Florida’s eastern Panhandle, with maximum sustained winds increasing to 35 mph, as reported by the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
A tropical storm is defined by having maximum sustained winds ranging from 39 to 113 mph, surpassing the strength of a tropical cyclone.
A tropical storm watch is currently active along the Florida Panhandle’s coast, stretching from the Ochloconee River to the Mississippi-Alabama border, suggesting that tropical storms could impact these areas through Tuesday.
The NHC also cautioned that storm surge along the local coastline may reach between 1 to 3 feet.
Forecasts indicate that Tropical Depression 2 will likely drift slowly northwest along the Gulf Coast over the coming days.
However, there remains some uncertainty regarding Vata’s predicted path after its formation late Monday.
If the system continues to weaken and drifts further inland, the heaviest rainfall may affect more inland areas of the Southeast, according to the FOX Prediction Center.
On the other hand, if the system remains over the Gulf for an extended period, the most intense rainfall will stay near the coast and might gradually shift westward along the Gulf Coast later in the week. This scenario could lead to significant rain for the central Texas coast over the weekend.
Meanwhile, forecasting models appear confident that the system will deliver heavy rain as it passes through the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend.
Rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches are expected through the middle of the week, with potential for even higher amounts in certain areas.
This is a developing story. Please check back for the latest updates.
