Invest 97L is expected to join Helene in the Gulf this week

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – A disturbance in the western Caribbean, dubbed Invest 97L, is showing signs of organization Sunday.

The storm is located just off the coast of Honduras and Nicaragua and is expected to strengthen in the coming days as it heads toward the Gulf this week.

The probability of a development is given as 40% in the next 48 hours and 80% in the next week.

The storm is expected to develop into a low pressure area or tropical storm by Tuesday and enter the Gulf of Mexico around Wednesday, where further strengthening is expected.

Once Invest 97L reaches the Gulf, it will head for favorable conditions, with forecasts indicating a hurricane is likely to make landfall later this week.

This week's upper-level flow indicates landfall locations anywhere between Alabama and Florida are possible, but impacts will be felt from Louisiana to southern Florida.

The exact trace and intensity are not yet known.

The NHC designates a disturbance as an “invest” once it shows signs of organization, meaning it moves through the various hurricane models that will serve as guidance in the coming days.

If Invest 97-L develops into a tropical storm, it will be named Helene.

Do you see a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Click here to report it. Please include the headline.

Subscribe to Fox 8 YouTube channel.

All rights reserved.