ORLANDO, Fla. _ What eventually is expected to become Hurricane Barry barely remained below the threshold of becoming a tropical depression early Thursday, but it is expected to intensify quickly in the next couple of days, the National Hurricane Center said.
Potential Tropical Cyclone Two has increased its maximum sustained winds to 35 mph Thursday morning and is moving to the west at 5 mph, according to the hurricane center's 8 a.m. update.
The tropical disturbance is expected to become a tropical depression and a named storm Thursday once its maximum sustained winds reach at least 39 mph, at which point it will become Tropical Storm Barry.
The hurricane center pinpointed the tropical system about 115 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and about 225 miles southeast of Morgan City, La.
The system's slow speed is expected to allow it to gain strength as it remains over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Sometime Friday, the system is expected to become the first hurricane of the 2019 Atlantic season, according to forecasters.
"The slow movement of this system will result in a long-duration heavy rainfall threat along the central Gulf Coast and inland through the lower Mississippi Valley through the weekend and potentially into early next week," the hurricane center said. "Flash flooding and river flooding will become increasingly likely, some of which may be significant, especially along and east of the track of the system."
The north-central Gulf Coast should brace for storm surge, heavy rains and hurricane conditions in the next couple of days, the hurricane center said. A hurricane watch is in effect for most of the Louisiana coast, with additional tropical-storm or hurricane watches and warnings possible, meteorologists said.
"Interests elsewhere along the U.S. Gulf Coast from the Upper Texas Coast to the Florida Panhandle should monitor the progress of this system," meteorologists said.
Barry would follow Subtropical Storm Andrea as named storms this hurricane season, which began on June 1.
As for the forecast for Central Florida on Thursday, the high temperature is expected to be about 91 degrees, and there is a 50% chance of rain, according to Fox affiliate WOFL-Ch. 35.
While eyes remain on the Gulf, a second disturbance was detected in the Atlantic off the coast of Africa, NHC said.
A tropical wave is moving several hundred miles away from the southwest coast of the Cabo Verde Islands and is producing shower activity. There is a 10% chance of development over the next five days.
