BAY OF CAMPECHE – The National Hurricane Center began issuing advisories on Tropical Depression 3 on Monday afternoon.
By Tuesday afternoon, forecasters determined that the system had strengthened into a tropical storm, giving it the name Cristobal.
Recommended Videos
This is the earliest we’ve used three names on the Atlantic hurricane season list, beating out 2016 when Colin formed on June 5.
Tropical Depression Three has formed in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. The current record for earliest 3rd Atlantic named storm formation date is on June 5, 2016 (Colin). Arthur and Bertha have already formed in the Atlantic in 2020. #hurricane pic.twitter.com/kaIbhSmZtu
— Philip Klotzbach (@philklotzbach) June 1, 2020
The storm is expected to meander in the Bay of Campeche and southern Gulf of Mexico for a few days, dropping tons of rain on southern Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. It will eventually take a turn to the north and we’ll be watching for its possible impacts on the United States.
It appears Gulf Coast states like Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi are at the highest risk of rain, wind and/or storm surge from Cristobal.
Impacts in our area are looking unlikely at the present time as a ridge of high pressure should keep the storm well to our west.
There are no other areas of interest to track right now in the tropics. The next storm that forms in the Atlantic basin will receive the name “Dolly.”