Tropical Storm Vata is expected to form near Florida today
Tropical Storm 2 is expected to become Tropical Storm Vata on Monday. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected.
Tropical Storm Vata was “stagnant” on the night of July 20, as federal weather forecasters warned it could bring tropical storm force, heavy rain and coastal flooding to parts of the northern Gulf Coast over the next few days.
Bertha, the second named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, intensified from a tropical storm on July 20, according to the National Hurricane Center.
As of the Hurricane Center’s 10:00 PM CDT advisory, the storm was located approximately 140 miles south of Panama City, Florida, and approximately 345 miles southeast of Mobile, Alabama. Vata’s maximum sustained wind speed was 40 miles per hour.
Forecasters said a slow west-northwest or westward movement is expected over the next few days, with Bertha expected to move near or along the northern Gulf Coast. Some additional enhancements are possible until July 21st.
A tropical storm watch is in effect along the Gulf Coast, with strong winds, heavy rain and dangerous surf conditions possible late July 20 and into July 21, the Hurricane Center said. A storm surge watch was in place from the Alabama-Florida border to the mouth of the Mississippi River.
Possibility of flooding
“Along the Gulf Coast and adjacent inland areas from west Florida to the central Texas coast, including southern parts of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, localized rainfall of 2 to 4 inches is expected by Friday, with local rainfall totals as high as 8 inches. This rain could cause areas of flash flooding, especially in urban areas,” the hurricane center said in a statement.
“While the rain is welcome in parts of the Florida Panhandle as the drought continues, the dry soil could increase the risk of flooding,” AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva said in an online update.
If heavy rain moves further west into the Texas Hill Country, flash flooding concerns will increase given the topography and recent extensive flooding across the region, AccuWeather warned.
A second storm hits what was expected to be a quiet year
This storm comes about a month after Tropical Storm Arthur formed in the Gulf.
Forecasters predict the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season will have “below normal” activity levels, thanks in large part to the storm-silencing effect of El Niño.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s seasonal outlook predicts a total of eight to 14 named storms, three to six of which will become hurricanes.
Based on weather records from 1991 to 2020, a typical year averages about 14 tropical cyclones, seven of which turn into hurricanes.
