Tracking The Tropics: Tropical Depression Cristobal Expected To Move Back Over Water By Friday Night

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – Life-threatening flooding continues across portions of Mexico and Central America because of Tropical Depression Cristobal, which is expected to move back over water by Friday night.

At 10 p.m. Thursday, the center of the storm was about 145 miles south of Campeche, Mexico. The system was creeping along to the east-southeast at 3 mph with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph.

A turn toward the northeast is expected overnight, and a subsequent northward motion should occur through Sunday.

On the forecast track, the center will move over extreme northwestern Guatemala and eastern Mexico on Friday.

The center is forecast to move back over the southern Gulf of Mexico by Friday night, over the central Gulf of Mexico on Saturday, and approach the northern Gulf of Mexico coast Sunday and Sunday night.

Little change in strength is expected over the next day or so, but slow strengthening is forecast to occur this weekend  when Cristobal moves back over water.

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Interests along the northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico should monitor the progress of Cristobal.

A tropical storm watch and a storm surge watch will likely be required for a portion of the area on Friday.

Cristobal is expected to produce an additional 6 to 12 inches of rain in Campeche, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, and Yucatan, isolated storm totals could be as high as 25 inches.

Southern Guatemala and parts of Chiapas could see an additional 15 to 20 inches of rain, isolated storm total amounts of 35 inches dating back to Saturday, May 30th.

Rainfall in all of these areas may produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.