ABC NewsBy MAX GOLEMBO, ABC News
(NEW YORK) — Two tropical systems are on a path toward the Gulf of Mexico and could possibly make landfall at the same time in the U.S. early next week.
The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center depicts two hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday.
There are only a few times, according to the National Weather Service, when two tropical cyclones have been in the Gulf at the same time. The most recent example was in 1933.
Tropical Depression 13 is in the Atlantic near the northeastern Caribbean Islands and Tropical Depression 14 is in the western Caribbean near Honduras Friday morning.
Tropical Depression 14 is likely to become Tropical Storm Laura as early as Friday afternoon. This system is forecast to cross the Yucatan Peninsula as a strong tropical storm or maybe even a weak hurricane on Saturday. Because of that, a hurricane watch has been issued for that part of Mexico.
What will be Tropical Storm Laura is forecast to move into the Gulf of Mexico by Sunday morning and strengthen into strong Tropical Storm or maybe even a hurricane.
What could be Laura will approach the Texas and Louisiana coastline as a possible Cat 1 hurricane with winds of 75 mph on Tuesday.
Hurricane-force wind gusts are possible for both states. A storm surge could flood coastal areas, with flooding rain on top of that.
At the same time, Tropical Depression 13 in the Atlantic is approaching the eastern Caribbean Islands with tropical storm watches posted for Puerto Rico and the southern Bahamas.
The depression is expected to become Tropical Storm Marco early Saturday morning as it approaches Puerto Rico. It is not expected to be very strong, with winds only 40 to 45 mph, but heavy tropical rain could cause flash flooding on Puerto Rico Saturday.
By Monday afternoon, what will be Tropical Storm Marco could brush the southern Florida coast as it heads into the Gulf of Mexico.
With very warm Gulf of Mexico water, Marco could possibly strengthen into a low-end Cat 1 Hurricane on Tuesday and Wednesday, with winds of 75 mph as it heads for the Gulf Coast around the Alabama coastline.
Hurricane-force wind gusts, storm surge and flooding from heavy rain are expected in Florida, Alabama and Mississippi.
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