Tracking The Tropics: Tropical Storm Nicholas, Two Waves To Watch

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Tropical Storm Nicholas is moving north-northwest just offshore the northeast coast of Mexico and is expected to produce flash flooding, dangerous storm surge, and gusty winds along the southern Texas coast on Monday.

The storm's sustained winds are near 60 mph with higher gusts. Strengthening is forecast on Monday and Nicholas could reach the northwest Gulf coast as a hurricane. It is expected to make landfall along the south or central coast of Texas Monday afternoon or evening.

Weakening is anticipated on Tuesday and Wednesday while it moves over land. Nicholas is forecast to move across Texas and then move northeastward across Louisiana as a remnant area of low pressure with the potential for heavy rain and flooding.

A tropical wave has emerged off the west coast of Africa near the coasts of Guinea and Sierra Leone. The National Hurricane Center said this disturbance has a high potential (80% chance) of development. Environmental conditions are forecast to be conducive for the gradual development of this system and a tropical depression is likely to form by late this week while the system moves westward at 10 to 15 mph across the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean.

An area of low pressure is forecast to form by midweek a couple of hundred miles north of the southeastern or central Bahamas as a tropical wave interacts with an upper-level trough. Some gradual development of this system is possible thereafter, and a tropical depression could form later this week while the system moves north-northwestward or northward across the western Atlantic.