Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center continue to watch over the Gulf of Mexico for possible tropical development.
"A trough of low pressure over the western Gulf of Mexico is producing widespread shower and thunderstorm activity. A broad area of low pressure is expected to develop from this system over the southwestern or south-central Gulf of Mexico during the next day or two, and additional subsequent development is possible while the low moves slowly eastward or northeastward," said the NHC on Friday. "A tropical or subtropical depression or storm could form during the early to middle part of next week if the low remains separate from a frontal boundary that is forecast to extend across the Gulf of Mexico next week. Regardless of tropical or subtropical development, locally heavy rains could occur over portions of Mexico during the next few days and over portions of the Florida Peninsula late this weekend into next week."
For now, impacts to Louisiana appear to be in the form of passing showers over the next few days, with the heaviest rain amounts mostly offshore. An approaching cold front is expected to ultimately push activity away from our area.
An area just off the coast of Africa is also under watch for possible development.
The NHC is also tracking Category 4 Hurricane Kirk and Tropical Storm Leslie, but neither is expected to impact land outside of large swells from Kirk reaching the eastern U.S. by Sunday.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season ends November 30.