Tampa Bay meteorologists say there is already a slight risk for increased rain in the region starting Tuesday, and potential flooding, tornadoes and storm surge in the region may be a risk by Thursday.

Some forecasters fear the storm system could grow into a major hurricane that could impact the Gulf coast region of the U.S.

Tampa Bay meteorologists are watching tropical activity in the Caribbean Sea that they say could get a boost over a record-warm Gulf of Mexico. The area of low pressure will likely form in the northwest Caribbean by the middle of next week.

It’s still too soon to say if a tropical disturbance expected to form in the Gulf of Mexico this week could affect Alabama. One of the reasons is it hasn’t even formed yet. But forecasters have reasonable confidence that it will,