Tropic Trouble Brewing In Gulf Of Mexico Could "Slingshot" Towards Offshore Oil Rigs 

The latest Tropical Outlook from the National Hurricane Center indicates a 70% probability of tropical cyclone formation in the Gulf of Mexico or the Caribbean Sea over the next seven days. Forecast models predict that a tropical storm could develop early next week, potentially making landfall along the Gulf Coast—the location of America's top offshore oil/gas rigs and refineries on the mainland—by late next week. 

"Northwestern Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico: Disorganized showers and thunderstorms located over the western Caribbean Sea and portions of Central America are associated with a very broad area of low pressure. Environmental conditions appear favorable for gradual development of this system during the next several days. A tropical depression is likely to form while the system moves slowly northward across the northwestern Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico through the end of the week," NHC wrote in an update on Sunday morning. 

Since Thursday, we have been monitoring potential tropical development via various weather models because this potential storm threatens US oil/gas infrastructure. 

• "Something Brewing In Gulf Of Mexico" As Confidence Grows In Cyclone Formation Next Week

The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore wrote on X, "One of the things to consider with this week's pending tropical threat is where the "slingshot" sets up.  The slingshot is the upper low (blue) that could ventilate the system first and aid in intensification, then slingshot it into the coast.  The stronger it is at landfall the deeper inland  the more intense parts of it get.  Guidance has much to sort out with all the players coming together.  We should have an invest soon as NHC has issued a 10% area in 48hrs and marked a starting point."

Washington Post's Matthew Cappucci wrote on X that a hurricane will likely form in the Gulf of Mexico...  

"Mike's Weather PageOvernight GFS/EURO ensembles on http://weathernerds.org. Huge consistency. EURO catching up to the GFS. Timing here Friday. Many already make landfall by then. Getting real Florida IMO," Mike's Weather Page wrote on X. 

Landfall in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and or Louisiana? 

There's a high probability the forecast could can change in the next five days.