Additional Coverage:
Meteorologists are closely watching the Gulf Coast this week as a tropical storm is likely to develop, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the region.
An area of low pressure has formed off the eastern coast of Mexico in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. If this system strengthens and winds reach at least 39 miles per hour, it will be named Tropical Storm Isaias. This would mark the ninth named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which has notably seen no hurricanes so far-a stretch not seen since 1914.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, there is about a 70% chance that the storm will materialize.
AccuWeather’s lead hurricane meteorologist, Alex DaSilva, explained that the system currently over the Bay of Campeche has a strong potential to develop into at least a tropical depression or rainstorm. She added that prevailing steering winds are expected to push the storm north-northeast, with landfall likely along the central Gulf Coast this weekend.
“There is a less likely chance the storm could track into Mexico if it misses the jet stream’s influence,” DaSilva noted, pointing out that climatology during El Niño years suggests Texas landfalls are rare in the late months of the year.
The American Global Forecast System forecasts that a tropical depression could form as early as Wednesday, moving toward the Gulf Coast, although the precise path remains uncertain. The storm could either dissipate without much impact or potentially intensify into a Category 1 or 2 hurricane.
Residents from Texas to the Florida panhandle should prepare for increasing rain and wind by Friday. The Weather Channel urges those in the Gulf Coast area to stay updated on forecasts and have their hurricane plans ready, emphasizing that even in a relatively quiet season, significant storms can still occur late in the year.
Coastal communities are being advised to remain vigilant and prepare for possible flooding due to heavy rainfall associated with the developing system.