Cristobal upgraded to Tropical Storm, expected to reach Florida, Gulf Coast on Sunday
Cristobal was upgraded to a tropical storm on Friday after being downgraded to a tropical depression on Thursday night, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The storm is predicted to reach the U.S. Gulf Coast on Saturday or Sunday evening.
Currently, Cristobal is located near the southern tip of Mexico and is expected to move up the Gulf of Mexico coast over the weekend.
A storm surge watch is in effect for the northern Gulf of Mexico coast from Indian Pass to Arepika, Florida, and from Grand Isle, Louisiana, to Ocean Springs, Mississippi, including Lake Borgne.
A tropical storm watch is in effect for Intracoastal City, Louisiana, to the Alabama-Florida border, Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas.
Dangerous surf conditions with a high risk of rip currents and coastal flooding are expected to occur from Sunday to Monday, according to a tweet from the National Weather Service of Mobile/Pensacola. There is also a possibility of isolated tornadoes along Alabama's coast into the western Florida Panhandle on Sunday through Sunday night, the tweet said.
Storm surge, tropical storm watches issued for parts of Florida
The NHC issued a storm surge watch for the coast from Indian Pass to Arepika, Florida, and a tropical storm watch for Intracoastal City, Louisiana, to the Alabama-Florida border.
A storm surge watch means there is potential for life-threatening flooding, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, over the next 48 hours. A tropical storm watch means tropical storm conditions could occur within the next 48 hours.
In the event of a storm surge, water could reach the following heights above ground in these areas:
- Ocean Springs to Indian Pass, including Mobile Bay and Pensacola Bay: 1 to 3 feet
- Indian Pass to Aripeka: 2 to 4 feet
- Aripeka to Marco Island including Tampa Bay: 1 to 3 feet
- Grand Isle to Ocean Springs including Lake Borgne: 2 to 4 feet
Hazardous weather, rip currents in Florida, Alabama
A coastal hazard message has been issued by the National Weather Service for parts of northwest Florida, southwest and south-central Alabama and inland southeast Mississippi.
Through late Monday night, a high rip current risk is in effect for Florida's Santa Rosa Coastal, Okaloosa Coastal and Escambia Coastal counties and for Alabama's Baldwin Coastal and Mobile Coastal counties.
As Cristobal nears the northern Gulf Coast on Sunday, it could bring tropical storm force winds to portions of Alabama's coast and possible coastal flooding to parts of Alabama and the western Florida panhandle.
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Where is Cristobal now?
Cristobal is predicted to move over the Yucatan Peninsula throughout Friday and move back over the southern Gulf of Mexico by Friday night, according to the NHC.
Here's where Cristobal is currently located, as of Friday's 1 p.m. advisory:
- Location: 35 miles south-southeast of Merida, Mexico, 595 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River
- Maximum sustained winds: 40 mph
- Movement: North at 12 mph
- Next scheduled advisory: 4 p.m. CT
The storm is expected to pick up forward speed later in the day and to continue traveling northward.