Tropical Storm Debby forms in the Gulf of Mexico

Tropical Storm Debby was born in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday afternoon.

The storm grew out of a broad area of low pressure over the Gulf responsible for clouds and intermittent rain over South Florida on Friday and Saturday.

Debby's maximum winds were 50 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm was located about 220 miles south-southeast of the mouth of the Mississippi River and moving north about 6 mph. Debby was expected to continue moving slowly northward tonight, followed by a westward turn on Sunday.

Tropical storm warnings were issued from the mouth of the Pearl River westward to Morgan City, La., but not including the city of New Orleans or Lake Pontchartrain.

Although there were no tropical storm watches or warnings impacting Florida as of Saturday evening, Florida emergency managers said residents could still feel the impacts from Debby's outer bands.

"Thunderstorms on the east side of the storm could still bring heavy rains and severe weather," said state meteorologist Amy Godsey. "Large waves along the coast may also result in frequent rip currents and minor coastal flooding."

Debby is the fourth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Clouds from the disturbance have kept daytime temperatures in South Florida in the low 80s and limited the daytime heating that's fuel for thunderstorms, said forecaster Brad Diehl of the National Weather Service in Miami.

Most of the heavy rain through Saturday afternoon has remained offshore or over Florida's Gulf Coast, but that could change as the storm moves north, Diehl said. Expect more on-and-off showers and storms through Sunday, with locally heavier amounts of rain.

mturnbell@tribune.com, Twitter @MikeTurnpike

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