Gordon is now a rainstorm; Cuba, Mexico wary of a tropical storm next week

MIAMI — AccuWeather hurricane experts say there is a high risk of tropical storm formation in the western Caribbean or southern Gulf of Mexico between Tuesday and Thursday of next week, where showers and thunderstorms are expected to become better organized.

Interests in the Caribbean, Mexico and southern United States should closely monitor this potential storm and be ready to take quick action should formation occur early next week. If formation occurs, a landfall would be highly likely next week, possibly initially in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula or western Cuba and perhaps eventually in the southeastern U.S. In addition, due to the warm waters in the region, the storm can quickly gain strength and potentially become a hurricane. Historically, a storm moving northward from the Caribbean this time of year not only strengthens but does so rapidly if there is a lack of wind shear.