MIAMI—The U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Sunday a tropical depression had formed off Florida's west coast, prompting a Tropical Storm Watch for parts of the Florida Panhandle as forecasters warned of heavy rainfall and the possibility of tropical-storm conditions within 36 to 48 hours.
The National Hurricane Center identified the system as Tropical Depression Two, with maximum sustained winds of 30 mph (45 kph). At 10:00 a.m. CDT, the center of the depression was located about 155 miles (250 km) south of Panama City, Florida, and was moving north-northwest at 2 mph (4 kph), according to its first advisory.
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect from the Ochlockonee River westward to the Florida-Alabama border, the hurricane center said. The agency said tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area over the next 36 to 48 hours.
Forecasters said the depression is expected to bring 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) of rainfall, with isolated totals of up to 8 inches (20 cm), across portions of the eastern and central Gulf Coast from western Florida into parts of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. The National Hurricane Center said the rainfall could trigger flash flooding, particularly in urban areas.
The National Hurricane Center said the system developed after a low-pressure area over the northeastern Gulf became better organized. Officials said additional advisories would be issued as the situation evolves, while emphasizing that forecasts and potential impacts remain subject to change as the storm continues to develop.
