The National Hurricane Center has released its first advisory for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, which includes a tropical storm watch for areas along the Gulf Coast.
This watch extends from Sargent, Texas, to Morgan City, Louisiana, indicating that tropical storm conditions could be felt within the next 24 to 36 hours.
Currently identified as Potential Tropical Cyclone No. 1, the system is located off the Texas coast. While it has yet to develop into a tropical depression or storm, meteorologists anticipate it may strengthen into the season's first tropical storm by Wednesday. Due to its proximity to land, significant intensification into a hurricane before landfall is deemed unlikely.
Heavy rainfall is expected along the Gulf Coast, particularly in flood-prone areas, with the possibility of several inches of rain due to the system's slow movement.
The advisory warns of potentially hazardous flash and urban flooding across the Texas coast extending into central Mississippi through Thursday. Prolonged rainfall may continue to pose flooding risks into the weekend, with widespread minor river flooding anticipated along the Texas coast and into southwest Louisiana. Isolated areas may experience significant river flooding.
Forecasters predict that the 2026 hurricane season will be below average, as the strengthening El Niño typically brings conditions that are less favorable for hurricane development in the Atlantic.
Reported by HarborBeat based on WMAR-2 News (source).
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