Should the system develop, forecasters said a tropical depression could form as the system moves slowly to the north or northwest into the southern Gulf of Mexico through the end of next week. Rodney Wynn, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s Tampa office, said forecasting models don’t have a good grip on the system yet.

Residents around the Gulf of Mexico should pay close attention to the forecast for the week ahead, as a tropical system is expected to form and bring impacts to the southern United States during the later half of the week. The National Hurricane Center gives this region a high chance for development over the next 7 days.