Tropical Storm Cristobal Could Gain Hurricane Strength In Gulf

ACROSS FLORIDA — The tropical depression that formed in the Bay of Campeche in southwest Mexico Monday has now been upgraded to Tropical Storm Cristobal, a storm could strengthen into a hurricane over the open water of the Gulf of Mexico, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Tropical Storm Cristobal made landfall in Mexico Tuesday, bringing heavy rainfall that's causing damaging and deadly flooding, according to the NHC. The rainfall could cause widespread life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

Meteorologists said Cristobal is forecast to re-emerge over the southern Gulf of Mexico Friday and move north over the central and northern Gulf of Mexico over the weekend. They said to expect Cristobal to turn north and gain strength over the Gulf of Mexico before reaching the southern gulf coast of the United States.

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"While it is too soon to determine the exact location, timing and magnitude of these impacts," weather watchers at the NHC said there's a risk of storm surge, heavy rainfall and wind impacts beginning over the weekend along portions of the gulf coast from Texas to the Florida Panhandle.

The NHC said Cristobal is the earliest third named tropical storm to form during the Atlantic hurricane season. Usually, a third named storm doesn't form until August. June 1 was the start of hurricane season.

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