Tropical depression forms in Gulf of Mexico, could become storm Friday

Published 8:56 pm Thursday, September 17, 2020

A new tropical depression has formed in the Gulf just hours after Hurricane Sally left.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami reported Thursday evening that Tropical Depression 22 had formed over the southwestern Gulf and was forecast to move slowly over the western Gulf into next week.

There was no threat to land as of Thursday night, but the center says the depression could become a tropical storm on Friday.

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The depression had maximum sustained winds of 35 mph (56 kph) and was located Thursday night about 230 miles (370 kilometers) east of Tampico, Mexico, and about 330 miles (531 kilometers) southeast of the mouth of the Rio Grande. The storm is moving about 5 mph (8 kph).

Hurricane Sally rolled through the area Wednesday with 105 mph (165 kph) winds, a surge of seawater and 1 to 2 1/2 feet (0.3 to 0.8 meters) of rain in many places. Hundreds of people were trapped by floodwaters and had to be rescued Thursday by emergency workers using high-water vehicles and personal watercraft.