The National Hurricane Center is reporting that the disturbance in the northwestern Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, currently called 97L, has an 80 percent chance of cyclone formation in the next 48 hours and 90 percent chance over the next seven days.
Should this storm strengthen to a tropical storm, it would be tropical storm Helene.
The seven day outlook shows the storm traveling over the Yucatan Peninsula, then heading north for the coast of the Florida panhandle, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Current Hurricane Center advisories focus on eastern parts of Nicaragua, Honduras, and the Yucatan Peninsula through Wednesday, and near Cuba and the Cayman Islands through Thursday. The storm will greatly increase the potential for life- threatening flashing flooding and mudslides in these areas.