Tropical Update: Gulf Coast residents may be put on alert soon

MIAMI, Fla. — Residents from the Southeast Texas coast to the Florida Panhandle need to pay attention to a massive, but still unorganized tropical system moving into the Gulf of Mexico. It has an 80% chance of developing in 48 hours and could be a threat later in the week.

In their 2 p.m. advisory, National Hurricane Center forecasters reported that the storm is generating heavy rain across Florida and the Keys.

A hurricane hunter plane was scheduled to fly into the storm today and could report whether it has organized.