MIDWAY, Fla. (WTXL) -- The regenerating Tropical Depression Harvey is lurking over very warm Gulf waters Wednesday afternoon, with an increasingly higher chance for further strengthening as it lingers nearly stationary in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. The system is projected to grow into a Tropical Storm within the next few hours and begin a path toward the northwest, generally in the direction of the Texas Gulf coast. An assortment of tropical storm and hurricane watches is in effect for the upper and lower Texas coast, as conditions are expected to worsen in the next 48 hours.
Harvey, regardless of the level of strength, is likely to produce flooding rain totals, possible in excess of 12" along the upper Texas coastline.
In the long-range, Harvey will slowly drift to the north, then possibly northeast, in the vicinity of the western and central Gulf coastal regions of the southeastern U.S.
A second tropical low (without a name) is hovering near the Florida peninsula, and is primarily a source of moisture raising rain production in the southern two-thirds of the Sunshine State. The disturbance will be nearly stationary, then is forecast to begin to move slowly to the northeast. As it re-positions itself off the Florida east coast this weekend, forecast models suggest some additional organization. Its positioning would actually advance drier continental air into the local area, while casting areas of clouds and some lighter showers into the Suwannee Valley. However, this forecast is still several days away, and conditions and projections will change.
The rest of the tropical Atlantic basin is relatively uneventful.
