Potential Tropical Cyclone 6 designated in Gulf, forecast to make landfall as hurricane this week along the Gulf Coast

Potential Tropical Cyclone 6 (PTC6) has been designated in the western Gulf of Mexico by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) on Sunday. This first advisory from the NHC shows PTC6 will strengthen into Francine, making landfall somewhere along the upper Texas coast or southwestern/southcentral Louisiana coast as a hurricane sometime on Wednesday. With this new advisory, Tropical Storm Watch has been issued along parts of the Mexico Gulf Coast to the mouth of the Rio Grande River. Additional Watches and Warnings will be issued over the 24-48 hours for parts of coastal Texas and coastal Louisiana.

PTC6 forecast from the NHC as of Sunday evening

Once Francine makes landfall on Wednesday, the system will then move inland spreading impacts northeastward across the Deep South, including the lower and possible mid-Mississippi River Valley beyond mid-week. The main concern is heavy rain and flooding from coastal parts of Texas and Louisiana, spreading inland, along with storm surge from the coastal bend of Texas to coastal Louisiana and possibly coastal Mississippi, along with the potential of hurricane force winds and isolated tornadoes.

Rain forecast from Francine

If you live along the northwestern/north-central Gulf Coast, or areas inland from these locations, please keep an eye on the forecast over the next few days and listen to all information from local officials.