Gulf System Could Become Tropical Storm Dexter as Development Chances Rise

Meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center are monitoring a low-pressure area near Florida that could become the season’s next named Atlantic storm—Tropical Storm Dexter. Currently labeled as Invest 93L, the system is expected to cross the Florida Peninsula on Tuesday before entering the warm waters of the northeastern Gulf of Mexico by midweek. As conditions become more favorable, the chance of tropical development is steadily increasing.

Even if Invest 93L does not intensify into a named storm, the associated impacts will be widespread. The forecast calls for an extended period of showers and thunderstorms across Florida, deviating from the typical summer pattern of isolated afternoon storms. Rainfall is expected to intensify across the Panhandle and broader Gulf Coast region as the system tracks westward.

By late week, the risk of flash flooding will increase from Florida to the lower Mississippi Valley, especially in areas that experience repeated rounds of heavy rainfall. The National Weather Service is urging residents and travelers along the Gulf Coast, from Florida to Texas, to monitor updates and follow local guidance. The window for tropical storm formation is brief but plausible as the disturbance moves over the Gulf’s very warm waters.