Article first published: Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, 10 a.m. ET

Article last updated: Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, 1 p.m. ET

System type: Tropical depression

The National Hurricane Center’s 1 p.m. Monday update reported that Five found new strength and had evolved from a potential tropical cyclone into a tropical depression with sustained winds of 35 mph. The tropical depression is in the Gulf of Mexico, 120 miles south-southeast of Morgan City, Louisiana and 230 miles southeast of Port Arthur, Texas. The system, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph, is moving to the west-northwest at 5 mph.

“… the center of the system is predicted to reach the northwestern Gulf Coast within the warning area on Tuesday,” meteorologists noted. They also said “Some strengthening is expected during the next day or so, and the system is forecast to become a tropical storm by tonight.”

Warning currently in effect

Tropical Storm Warning for Port Bolivar to the Vermilion/Cameron Parish Line

Meaning of the warning

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, in this case within the next 24-36 hours.

Hazards affecting land

Wind. Tropical storm conditions are expected to reach the coast within the warning area on Tuesday, making outside preparations difficult or dangerous.

Storm surge. The combination of storm surge and tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide…

High Island, TX to Vermilion/Iberia Parish Line, LA…1-3 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to the east of the center. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances.

For a complete depiction of areas at risk of storm surge inundation, please see the National Weather Service Peak Storm Surge Graphic, available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at5.shtml?peakSurge.

Rainfall. Tropical Depression Five is expected to produce rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches with maximum totals of 9 inches for parts of the Upper Texas Coast inland through east-central Texas, with 2 to 3 inches for Southwest Louisiana. This rainfall could produce flash flooding, especially in low-lying and urban areas.

For a complete forecast of rainfall associated with Tropical Depression Five, please see the National Weather Service Storm Total Rainfall Graphic available at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at5.shtml?rainqpf and the Flash Flood Risk graphic at hurricanes.gov/graphics_at5.shtml?ero.

Source: National Hurricane Center