A Gulf storm near Florida over the Memorial Day weekend could bring heavy rain and the threat of flash flooding to the Southeast and Florida.
The storm, expected to be the first tropical or subtropical depression of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season, could form late Saturday in the Gulf of Mexico and last into next week, The Weather Channel reported.
If it develops into a tropical or subtropical depression, it will be called Alberto.
Meterologists, who began watching the system last week, increased the odds of development over five days to 90 percent, the Miami Herald reported Thursday afternoon.
The system lacks an organized core, making it difficult for forecasters to predict where it will hit land, but models place it near the Florida Panhandle or Louisiana coast, the Herald said.
Ground in the area already is somewhat saturated, raising the risk of flooding, meteorologist Andrew Hagen told the Miami Herald.
"Consensus is for the storm to track inland somewhere between easternmost Louisiana and Florida’s Apalachee Bay," Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said, AccuWeather reported, adding that cities that lie in the potential track include New Orleans; Gulfport, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; and Pensacola and Panama City, Florida.
Regardless of how strong the storm develops, heavy rains could put a damper on holiday picnics and celebrations over the weekend, and rain could continue through most of next week as the storm moves slowly over land.
"A major threat to lives and property may unfold as rain totals can get pushed to 10-20 inches in some communities," Kottlowski said, according to AccuWeather.
Areas west of the storm's track, including Houston, are expected to stay dry.
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