As of late Monday morning, the potential tropical cyclone was centered about 130 miles south of Morgan City, Louisiana, with maximum sustained winds of 35 mph. It was forecast to strengthen into a named tropical storm by Monday night.
In the Pacific Ocean, Tropical Storm Lowell was about 785 miles southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, and moving west with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. Forecasters said Lowell could rapidly intensify as a hurricane by Monday night or Tuesday and reach the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands later this week.
Elsewhere in the Pacific, Hurricane Karina strengthened Monday into a powerful Category 4 storm, but isn't threatening land, forecasters said.
