Tropical Storm Danielle may form soon as disturbance gains strength in Gulf of Mexico

Another tropical storm could be forming Friday night in the Gulf of Mexico, with warnings issued in Mexico and Texas, forecasters say.

On Friday afternoon, the National Hurricane Center began issuing advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone Four, which is expected to make landfall on the coast of northeastern Mexico Saturday night.

As of the 5 p.m. advisory, the system had an 80% chance of forming in the next two to five days.

The disturbance is moving northwest at 14 mph with 35 mph sustained winds. Slow strengthening is expected as it makes landfall, and it is forecast to become a tropical storm Friday night or Saturday, the NHC said.

Mexico has issued a tropical storm warning for the Gulf of Mexico from Boca de Catan northward to the mouth of the Rio Grande River. A warning is also in effect for the lower Texas coast from Port Mansfield southward to the mouth of the Rio Grande.

The disturbance is expected to produce three to six inches of rainfall, with isolated totals of eight inches along the eastern coast of Mexico. Far south Texas may see one to three inches with isolated higher amounts, forecasters said.

Storm surge could also raise water levels as much as one to two feet from the mouth of the Rio Grande to Port Mansfield.

“The combination of storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline,” the NHC reported.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminmistration’s revised prediction says there could be 11 to 17 named storms before the Atlantic 2022 hurricane season ends on Nov. 30. The next storm name on the list is Danielle.