Overview
- The National Hurricane Center gave Invest 97L about a 70% chance of forming within 48 hours on Monday and said it is likely to become a short‑lived tropical depression or tropical storm before moving inland near the Texas–Louisiana border.
- An Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft was scheduled to investigate the disturbance on Monday to refine its organization and intensity and tropical‑storm watches or warnings could be issued for portions of the Upper Texas and southwestern Louisiana coasts.
- Forecasters say the main threat is heavy rain with localized totals up to roughly six inches and rainfall rates of 2–4 inches per hour that could cause flash flooding, street flooding, and isolated power outages in low‑lying and urban areas.
- The disorganized remnants of Tropical Storm Dolly have a low short‑term chance of redevelopment but are expected to push additional tropical moisture into the Bahamas and Florida later this week, raising local rain and storm chances there.
- Meteorologists note a strong El Niño and a regional heat dome have kept the Atlantic season generally muted this year but very warm Gulf waters and coastal geometry can still allow brief, fast development so residents should monitor official NHC and local NWS updates.