(RNN) - A tropical system is moving north up the Gulf of Mexico, heading toward Louisiana Gulf Coast.
Located about 305 miles south-southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi River, Potential Tropical Cyclone Three is packing winds of 40 mph and is moving northwest at 8 mph.
A tropical storm warning is in effect from Cameron, LA, to the mouth of the Pearl River. A tropical storm watch has been issued for west of Cameron, LA, to High Island.
The National Hurricane Center said that interest from the Texas coast to the Florida Panhandle should monitor this storm. Weather threats associated with this storm include storm surge of one to three feet, rainfall of four to eight inches with some heavier downpours possible in isolated areas and the possibility of tornadoes.
Tropical storm-force winds are expected to reach the warning area by late Tuesday.
Tropical Storm conditions are expected to first reach the coast in the warning area by late Tuesday from Potential Tropical Cyclone 3. #PTC3 pic.twitter.com/4EYaAr69P4
— NHC Atlantic Ops (@NHC_Atlantic) June 20, 2017
Forecasters say the system is expected to be near the Louisiana coast by Wednesday, with some strengthening possible. It likely will become Tropical Storm Cindy or a subtropical cyclone in the next couple of days.
Elsewhere in the Atlantic basin, Tropical Storm Bret is churning off the coast of Venezuela about 75 miles from the Isla de Margarita.
A tropical storm warning is in effect for Venezuela from Pedernales to Cumana, including Isla de Margarita, while a tropical storm watch is in effect for Bonaire, Curacao and Aruba.
The storm is moving west as it brushes past the northern coast of South America.
Forecasters expect Bret to begin weakening Wednesday as it encounters an upper-level trough in the Caribbean, and it wil eventually degrade to a tropical depression before dissipating over the western Caribbean.
Copyright 2017 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
