Hurricane Tracker: Potential Tropical Cyclone Six’s US-Bound Path Mapped

A potentially lethal new hurricane is brewing in the Gulf of Mexico, and may slam into the Gulf Coast in the coming days.
The storm, currently named Potential Tropical Cyclone Six, is not yet at tropical storm strength, but is forecast to become one today and hit hurricane strength by midweek.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the storm is expected to hit the south coast of Texas and Louisiana, bringing with it intense rainfall and powerful winds, and even life-threatening storm surges.
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“The system is forecast to become a tropical storm today [Monday] as it moves near the western Gulf of Mexico coast,” the NHC said in a forecast discussion. “The system is forecast to become a hurricane before it reaches the northwestern Gulf Coast by the middle of the week.
“While it is too soon to pinpoint the exact location and magnitude of impacts, the potential for life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds are increasing for portions of the Louisiana and upper Texas coastlines beginning Tuesday night.”
Once the storm hits tropical storm strength, it will be the sixth named storm of this year’s hurricane season, after Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby and Ernesto, three of which were hurricanes. This new system will be called Francine once it becomes a tropical storm.
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“Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph (85 km/h), with higher gusts. The disturbance is expected to become a tropical storm today [Monday], with more significant intensification forecast to occur on Tuesday. The system is forecast to become a hurricane before it reaches the northwestern U.S. Gulf Coast,” the NHC said in a public advisory.
“A slow northwestward to northward motion is expected over the next day or so, followed by a faster motion to the northeast beginning late Tuesday. On the forecast track, the disturbance is expected to move just offshore of the northern Gulf Coast of Mexico through Tuesday, and approach the Louisiana and Upper Texas coastline on Wednesday.”
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Tropical storm watches are already in effect for large sections of the northeastern coast of Mexico and a smaller portion of the Texas coast nearest to the storm, but it is expected that hurricane, storm surge, and tropical storm watches will be put into place along the Louisiana and upper Texas coast in the coming hours.
Up to 12 inches of rain are forecast to fall across the areas where the storm will make landfall, potentially triggering flash flooding.
“Potential Tropical Cyclone Six is expected to bring heavy rainfall and the risk of considerable flash flooding along the coast of far northeast Mexico, portions of southernmost Texas, southern Louisiana, and southern Mississippi into Thursday morning. A risk of flash and urban flooding exists across portions of the mid-South from Wednesday into Friday morning,” the NHC said.
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