The National Hurricane Center will be keeping an eye on the Gulf this week.
All was quiet on Sunday, but forecasters think a tropical disturbance could develop there in a few days.
As of Sunday it had a low probability (20 percent) of becoming even a tropical depression in the next seven days, but it could spread a lot of rain across parts of Florida — and Alabama — this week.
The hurricane center said that as of Sunday night a trough of low pressure had formed off Florida’s east coast.
Forecasters think it will track to the west and across Florida tonight and Monday. It could emerge into the Gulf by late Tuesday.
The hurricane center said conditions there could allow it to gradually develop by the middle or later part of the week.
A system has to have a defined center of circulation and sustained winds of at least 40 mph to be considered a tropical storm and get a name. The next name on the 2025 Atlantic storm list is Dexter.
The hurricane center said that, name or no name, the system could spread heavy rain across parts of the northern Gulf Coast this week as well as the Florida peninsula.
The National Weather Service in Mobile will also be closely watching the system and expects the risk for rip currents along the Alabama and northwest Florida coasts to increase to moderate by Wednesday and high by Thursday, which means swimming in the Gulf will be hazardous.
Rip currents are one of the biggest weather-related killers along the Alabama and Florida Panhandle coasts.
The weather service in Mobile also said those closer to the coast should expect increased rain chances later this week.
“Given the pattern, expect high rain chances regardless of whether or not something forms and gets a name,” the weather service said in its Sunday morning forecast discussion.
“Multiple rounds of heavy rain could lead to flooding concerns by mid-week, but especially in the latter part of this upcoming week. Expect several days with widespread showers and storms.”
