Cristobal to head north toward the Gulf Coast Friday

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Tropical depression Cristobal is not predicted to become a hurricane at this point.

A tropical depression is a tropical cyclone that has maximum sustained surface winds (one-minute average) of 38 mph (33 knots) or less.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the storm is forecast to emerge over the southern Gulf of Mexico Friday and move north over the central and northern Gulf over the weekend. There is a risk of tropical storm force winds (from 39 to 73 mph) this weekend from Louisiana to the western Florida panhandle and a risk of dangerous storm surge from Louisiana to the Florida Big Bend.

These hazards, along with heavy rainfall, will arrive well in advance of and extend east of Cristobal’s center. Tropical storm and storm surge watches could be issued Thursday night or Friday.

Current models show tropical-storm-force winds extending as far north as central Arkansas and east into Central Mississippi and southern Alabama Sunday.

Cristobal has caused damaging and deadly flooding in portions of Mexico and Central America. The storm is expected to produce additional extreme rainfall amounts through the end of the week. The heaviest additional rainfall is expected over far southern Mexico and portions of the Yucatan Peninsula, while also extending along the Pacific coast from Chiapas to Guatemala and El Salvador. This rainfall could cause widespread, life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.