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Tropical Depression Forms In Gulf, Could Approach Texas As A Hurricane

NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER

Another tropical system has emerged in the Gulf of Mexico, just days after Hurricane Sally slammed Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.

This one, however, is not forecast to impact Florida.

As of Friday afternoon, Tropical Depression 22 was located about 275 miles east-northeast of Tampico, Mexico, in the western Gulf of Mexico, and moving to the north-northeast at 7 mph. Maximum sustained winds were 35 mph with higher gusts.

Forecasters with the National Hurricane Service say the system will become a tropical storm later in the day. If it does, it would be named Tropical Storm Beta.

The system could reach hurricane strength on Sunday while on a path toward the southern Texas coast. Its forecast track Friday morning included the entire Texas coast, along with portions of Mexico and extreme western Louisiana.

The hurricane center continues to monitor Hurricane Teddy, a powerful Category 4 storm with 130 mph maximum sustained winds, as well as newly formed Tropical Storm Wilfred.

Teddy is forecast to approach Bermuda this weekend and could produce large swells resulting in life-threatening surf and rip currents along the U.S. East Coast.

Wilfred formed Friday morning in the open Atlantic, about 630 miles west-southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands. It is moving west-northwest near 17 mph and could strengthen before weakening this weekend into next week, according to the hurricane center.

And later Friday, Subtropical Storm Alpha formed off the coast of Portugal.

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