NWS monitoring low pressure area in Gulf

The National Weather Service in Lake Charles is monitoring a weak low pressure area in the western Gulf of Mexico. The National Hurricane Center gives this system an 80 percent chance of developing into a tropical depression or tropical storm before it reaches the Texas coast on Tuesday.

Local impacts from this system will be primarily heavy rain and higher tides, but there is also a small risk for tornadoes area-wide and gusty winds along and south of the I-10 corridor.

A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for southeast Texas tonight into Tuesday. Two to four inches of rain is expected, with locally higher amounts possible. Rain totals will be in the 1-3 inches range for southwest, south central, and central Louisiana.

A Coastal Flood Advisory is in effect currently, and it may need to be upgraded to a Coastal Flood Warning for late tonight into Tuesday. Tides are currently running o foot above normal, but could reach 2.5 feet above normal during high tides after midnight tonight into Tuesday morning.

Winds will be strongest along and south of the I-10 corridor of southeast Texas and southwest and south central Louisiana, where they could gust in the 30-40 mph range. Some power outages could be seen due to the winds.

There is also a small tornado threat for today and tonight for our entire region.