Tropical disturbance near Gulf could develop into depression

Hurricane forecasters say a tropical disturbance nearing the Gulf of Mexico has a 40 percent chance of developing into at least a tropical depression this week.

National Hurricane Center meteorologist Dennis Feltgen says if the system eventually strengthens into a tropical storm, it would be the first of the 2018 season and would be named "Alberto."

The center's current five-day outlook has the disturbance reaching the northern Gulf Coast this weekend somewhere between southeast Louisiana and Florida. That could mean a wet Memorial Day weekend in the New Orleans area and at Gulf Coast beaches in Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.

More hurricane-related stories here.

Feltgen is urging residents to monitor the weather "because there will be flash flooding associated with this."

The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1.