Weather warnings as tropical depression develops along US Gulf coast

A tropical depression was continuing to develop along the US Gulf coast on Monday as Tropical Storm Fausto strengthened off Mexico’s south-west Pacific coast.The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami said that the depression was expected to become a tropical storm later on Monday, prompting new watches for portions of the Gulf region.As of 10am local time, the depression was centered about 120 miles (195km) south of Panama City, Florida, and 215 miles south-east of Mobile, Alabama, with maximum sustained winds of 35mph and higher gusts.A storm surge watch was in effect from the Alabama-Florida border westward to the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana. A tropical storm watch, meanwhile, extended from the Mississippi-Alabama border to the line separating Louisiana’s Jefferson and Plaquemines parishes, the NHC added.The depression was expected to move near or along the northern Gulf coast over the next several days.The NHC said the storm surge watch indicated a risk of life-threatening coastal flooding from rising water moving inland from the shoreline within the next 48 hours. Combined with high tide, storm surge could flood normally dry coastal areas along parts of the northern Gulf coast.Water levels could rise by 2-4ft (60-120cm) from the mouth of the Mississippi River to the Alabama-Florida border, with 1-3ft of surge possible across portions of coastal Louisiana and Florida, including Lake Pontchartrain.The depression was also expected to produce widespread rainfall totals of 2-4in, with isolated amounts of up to 8in through Friday from western Florida to the middle Texas coast. The heavy rain could trigger flash flooding in some areas, while an isolated tornado or two was possible across Florida’s Big Bend region.Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Fausto continued to strengthen over the eastern Pacific. As of Monday morning, the storm was moving west-northwest at about 13mph with maximum sustained winds of 65mph. It is forecast to become a hurricane later Monday, with additional strengthening expected over the next few days.Although no coastal watches or warnings were in effect for Fausto, the NHC said swells generated by the storm were expected to reach the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula on Wednesday and persist for several days. The swells were likely to create life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.Fausto is forecast to continue tracking west-northwest through Wednesday.