Tropical Storm Francine expected to form in Gulf of Mexico on Monday

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – After nearly a month without new storms in the Atlantic — the longest streak since the 1960s — Tropical Storm Francine is likely to form over the Gulf of Mexico today.

As of 5 a.m. Monday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) still classifies the system as Potential Tropical Cyclone No. 6. This designation allows the NHC to issue tropical storm watches and warnings ahead of the system becoming an officially named storm.

The storm has tropical storm-force winds but lacks the closed center circulation it need to classify as a tropical storm.

The system is moving north-northwest at 5 mph, with sustained winds of 50 mph and gusts up to 65 mph.

Forecast models on Monday indicated that the system could strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane, making landfall along the Gulf Coast near the Texas-Louisiana border by Wednesday evening.

The official forecast shows Francine intensifying into a Category 1 hurricane before landfall, followed by rapid weakening as it moves inland over the Southern Mississippi Valley.

Though North Carolina will avoid direct impacts from the storm, it is expected to draw moisture from the Atlantic, increasing rain chances across the state from Friday into the weekend.

Stay tuned for the latest updates on this developing system.

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