2 tropical systems have sights set on Gulf of Mexico next week

ATLANTA — Tropical Depression 13 has become the 12th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season – Tropical Storm Laura.

It’s the fastest we’ve ever gotten to twelve named storms in a season and Tropical Depression 14 is likely to become the thirteenth named storm – Marco.

Our Severe Weather Team 2 Meteorologists are closely tracking these storms throughout the day, on Channel 2 Action News

Laura is approaching the islands of the northeast Caribbean while Tropical Depression 14 is in the western Caribbean. Both systems are expected to move toward the Gulf of Mexico into early next week, potentially as strong tropical storms or even hurricanes.

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There are hurdles in front of them, though – wind shear, dry air, and tracks that might take the storms partially over land may help keep the storms weaker.

[What is the ‘Fujiwhara effect’ and could we see it next week in the Gulf of Mexico?]

The last time two storms made a simultaneous landfall in the Gulf of Mexico was back in September 1933 – when a Category 3 hurricane made landfall in south Texas as a tropical storm moved across Florida.

Cox Media Group