Kathleen Hilliard

National Weather Service of Lake Charles Meteorologist Donald Jones said a weather system developing in the Gulf of Mexico has the potential to develop over the course of the next week, but it’s not an immediate concern.

Currently, the National Hurricane Center gives it a 40 percent chance of development within the next five days. That percentage may go up in the coming days.

“It’s not going to be a storm that’s going to rapidly develop into anything, at least there’s no indication to think that at this point, but it is something to keep an eye on,” said Jones, who added that while people may have seen things on social media, they want to “set the record straight.”

“We’re always here to give you the absolute, factual information,” he said.

So far, the computer models have had the disturbance as weak, hinting at a tropical depression or tropical storm.

“Most of the computer models are hinting at a northward motion,” said Jones. “You have to keep in mind that … there is a very large uncertainty with where whatever this is will wind up.”

“We’re looking at a very high level of uncertainty both with regards to whether it’ll actually develop, what kind of intensity we’re going to be looking at, and exactly where it ends up going,” said Jones.

He said that it’s important to not pay attention to individual models out there that aim to depict massive and destructive storms with singular computer model runs.

There will be another press briefing today, Sunday, June 13 with an update on the disturbance.

There is a 10 percent chance for tropical cyclone development in the next 2 days and 40 percent over the next 5 days in the southwest Gulf of Mexico. The slow moving system will create a potential for heavy rain and flooding over southeast Mexico.

National Hurricane Center