Cristobal Downgraded; May Still Produce Tropical Storm Winds

TAMPA BAY, FL — The tropical activity in the Gulf of Mexico has weakened back down to a tropical depression after pummeling the Bay of Campeche in Mexico Wednesday as Tropical Storm Cristobal.

Nevertheless, the National Hurricane Center said Tropical Depression Cristobal is still producing heavy rainfall, causing damaging flooding to portions of Mexico and Central America.

Cristobal is expected to produce additional extreme rainfall through the end of the week with the heaviest occurring in southern Mexico and portions of the Yucatan Peninsula. This rainfall could cause widespread life-threatening flash floods and mudslides, according to the NHC.

Cristobal is forecast to re-emerge over the southern Gulf of Mexico Friday and move north over the central and northern Gulf of Mexico during the weekend.

There is a risk of tropical storm-force winds this weekend from Louisiana to the western Florida Panhandle, and a risk of storm surge from Louisiana to the Florida Big Bend.

These hazards, along with heavy rainfall, will arrive well in advance of and extend far east of Cristobal's center so there could be impacts along the Central Florida Gulf Coast.

Tropical storm and storm surge watches could be issued Thursday and Friday.

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