Tropical Storm Cristobal makes landfall in Mexico, expected to turn north this weekend

AUSTIN, Texas — The 2020 hurricane season is off to a busy start. Tropical Storm Cristobal officially formed in the southwestern Gulf on Tuesday, becoming the third named storm of the season. 

Following the previous two named storms, Arthur and Bertha, Cristobal is the earliest third-named storm on record for the Atlantic basin. Hurricane season officially began on June 1 and continues through the end of November.

Cristobal made a landfall in Mexico Wednesday morning, and this land interaction is expected to briefly weaken the storm before it turns north this weekend. 

The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center calls for Cristobal to strengthen gradually while moving northward across the Gulf of Mexico this weekend. 

The current forecast continues to hone in on a potential Louisiana landfall late Sunday into early Monday as a tropical storm, but the cone of uncertainty ranges from roughly Houston, Texas, to Mobile, Alabama. 

Although uncertainty remains, at the moment the model consensus keeps Cristobal to the east of Central Texas. 

If this trend holds, sinking air on the left-hand side of Cristobal would mean early next week would be scorching hot. The current forecast calls for a high of 102 degrees in Austin on Tuesday. 

Current trends would also mean the forecast remains primarily dry with just small shower chances Monday and Tuesday. If the forecast track trends farther west, then rain chances would trend upward. At the moment there is only a 10% shower chance Monday and Tuesday. 

The KVUE Storm Team will continue to closely monitor Cristobal and will provide frequent updates.

Here’s a look at the rain totals our area is expecting in the next seven days.

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