A newly formed depression in the Caribbean could enter the Gulf of Mexico as Tropical Sara next week, potentially reducing the chances it could pose a threat to Florida later in the week.

Tropical Depression Nineteen formed in the Caribbean early Thursday with the National Hurricane Center forecasting it to grow into Tropical Storm Sara. Long-term forecast models show it could

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center are urging residents of the eastern Gulf Coast, particularly Floridians, to monitor the forecast closely because there could be an opening for the storm to reach the US next week.

The Atlantic Hurricane Season refuses to quit. Invest 99 in the Caribbean has a high chance of becoming a tropical depression and tropical storm by the weekend. Most reliable modeling suggests a move to the Gulf of Mexico next week with some impacts possible across the Florida Peninsula.

The National Hurricane Center forecasts Tropical Storm Sara could get into the Gulf of Mexico after swamping Central America and crossing over Mexico.

Later this week and over the weekend, weakened steering currents are likely to cause the system to meander offshore or along the coast of Central America. Toward the end of the forecast period, a front moving into the western Gulf of Mexico is expected to shift the storm to a northwestward track.

Potential Tropical Cyclone 19 formed Wednesday over the western Caribbean Sea and is expected to become a tropical storm in the next few days, forecasters said.