A low-pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico could be the first storm to threaten Florida during the 2017 hurricane season.
The system, named Invest 93L and currently near Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, was too disorganized to have an official track or strength forecast as of Monday morning, but at a minimum, significant rainfall is expected in the Florida Panhandle later in the week.
Early projections show the storm's track taking it west toward Louisiana and Texas, but a majority of the rain associated with the storm will be on its eastern side. Hurricane hunter aircraft were expected to investigate the system Monday afternoon.
“We are, regardless of the track, expecting quite a bit of rain potentially out of this system,” National Weather Service meteorologist Mark Wool said. “It could be enough rain to cause some flooding problems in a couple of days' time. We'll keep an eye on that. That's something that we are fairly certain is going to happen, regardless of how strong the system gets and which track it ultimately takes.”
Gov. Rick Scott scheduled a late-afternoon call with Bryan Koon, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, to discuss the tropical outlook, according to Scott's office.
Hurricane season started June 1 and ends Nov. 30.
