Millions of people along the Gulf Coast from Louisiana to Florida are being urged to prepare as Invest 97L becomes increasingly organized and is likely to become Tropical Storm or Hurricane Helene when the system reaches the Gulf of Mexico in the coming days.

The term “invest” is simply a naming convention that allows the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to run special computer models to help meteorologists obtain additional information about tropical disturbances whose development is being monitored.

WHAT IS INVESTING DURING HURRICANE SEASON?

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The chances of development for Invest 97L have steadily increased. As of Monday, there is a high probability that the system will develop into a tropical depression or tropical storm within the next 48 hours.

“Regardless of development, this system is expected to produce heavy rainfall over parts of Central America over the next few days,” NHC meteorologists wrote in their discussion. “Interested parties in the northwestern Caribbean, the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, and western Cuba should closely monitor the track of this system.”

According to the NHC, advisories and warnings may need to be issued for these areas sometime on Monday.

The NHC said Invest 97L is expected to strengthen as it moves northward across the Gulf of Mexico later this week. Impacts such as storm surge, heavy rain and strong winds are expected for parts of the northeastern Gulf Coast, including the Florida Panhandle and parts of Florida's west coast.

“Although it is too early to determine the exact location and extent of these impacts, residents of these areas should monitor the latest weather forecasts and ensure they have an appropriate hurricane plan in place,” NHC meteorologists wrote in their discussion.

Officials in Leon County, home to Florida's capital city of Tallahassee, announced that sandbags would be made available to residents starting Monday afternoon as they expected heavy rainfall and possible flooding from the storm.

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Where could Invest 97L go in the Gulf of Mexico?

Several factors play a role in determining the ultimate performance of Invest 97L and its strength.

“How strong the storm will be and where exactly the most intense impacts will occur is an open question,” said FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross wrote. “There is a general consensus in the various Computer forecasts how the steering pattern will develop, but it is the details that make the difference between a storm hitting this place or another place hundreds of miles away.”

BRYAN NORCROSS: Impacts on the northern US Gulf Coast become more likely by the end of the week

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Norcross said Hurricane Watches A Risk Assessment warning could then be issued for parts of the US Gulf Coast, and we could see Tropical Storm Helene in the middle of the week.

On Thursday or Thursday evening, the storm, whether tropical storm or Hurricane Helene, could be somewhere between Louisiana and Florida.