A tropical depression in the northwestern Caribbean strengthened into Tropical Storm Gamma Friday night.
The National Hurricane Center said Gamma's maximum winds had increased to 40 miles per hour and was moving northwest at 9 miles per hour as of the 7 p.m. advisory.
"The system is expected to produce heavy rainfall that could result in life-threatening flash flooding over portions of the Yucatan Peninsula, far western Cuba and well away from the center in the Mexican states of Campeche, Tabasco, and northern Chiapas," said the NHC.
Rainfall amounts between four to 12 inches are forecast, with isolated amounts of up to 20 inches possible.
The current track of Gamma keeps the storm well to the south of the north-central Gulf Coast over the next five days.