Tropical Storm Cindy continues to dump heavy rainfall along the northern Gulf coast as it nears the Louisiana coastline.
- Cindy should make landfall tonight or early Thursday
- Flash flooding is biggest threat from storm
- Tornado watch includes parts of western Florida Panhandle
- RELATED: Everything you need to stay safe in our Storm Season 2017 special section
As of 11 p.m., Cindy was 95 miles south-southeast of Galveston, Texas.
The storm has maximum sustained winds of 50 mph. Tropical storm force winds continue to impact the Louisiana and east Texas coast. The storm is slowly moving to the north-northwest at 7 mph.
Tropical storm warnings remain from San Luis Pass, Texas to the Grand Isle. Conditions will continue to deteriorate across the northern Gulf coast tonight.
Flash flooding biggest threat
Flash flooding remains the biggest concern with the system. Cindy has already dumped significant rain across much of Louisiana, Alabama and the Panhandle of Florida — and more rain is likely as Cindy makes landfall. Total rainfall accumulations will be between 6 to 9 inches, with some isolated areas seeing more than 15 inches.
Flash flood watches remain in place for much of the northern Gulf coast, where life threatening flooding is becoming possible.
Tornado watches continue
A tornado watch continues for coastal Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. The watch also includes parts of the western Panhandle. Isolated tornadoes will be possible across the northern Gulf coast region during the evening and overnight.
Other impacts with Cindy will be the risk of storm surge inundation along low-lying coastal areas. Rough surf will be an issue along the Gulf Coast of Florida, where a high risk of rip currents exists through Thursday evening.
Landfall likely along Texas/Louisiana border
Cindy is still on track to make landfall very early Thursday along the Texas/Louisiana coastline. The storm will rapidly weaken over interior Louisiana but will still be able to dump significant rain across portions of the Deep South on Thursday and Friday.
Elsewhere in the tropics, there are no other areas of concern for tropical development in the Atlantic basin at this time.