Daijiworld Media Network - Miami

Miami, Jul 20: Tropical Storm Fausto formed over the eastern Pacific Ocean on Sunday, while a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico was expected to strengthen into a named storm, prompting weather officials to issue alerts for parts of the US Gulf Coast.

According to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), Fausto developed from a tropical depression about 750 miles south-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kmph) and was moving west-northwest at 13 mph (21 kmph). Forecasters said Fausto was expected to strengthen steadily, or possibly rapidly, and could become a hurricane by Monday night.

No coastal watches or warnings have been issued, as the storm is forecast to remain well offshore.

Elsewhere in the eastern Pacific, Tropical Storm Elida continued to weaken on Sunday and is expected to degenerate into a remnant low within the next couple of days.

Elida was located about 1,015 miles west of the southern Baja California peninsula, with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (97 kmph).

Meanwhile, meteorologists are closely monitoring a tropical depression over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, south-southeast of Florida's Panhandle.

The National Hurricane Center said the system is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm early this week. A tropical storm watch has been issued for parts of the Florida Panhandle extending westward to the Alabama border.

The slow-moving system is forecast to track near or along the northern Gulf Coast over the coming days.

Forecasters warned that the system could bring heavy rainfall to coastal areas of northern Florida, Alabama and Louisiana before gradually moving west towards Texas.

As of Sunday afternoon, the tropical depression was nearly stationary, located about 190 miles south-southeast of Panama City, Florida, with maximum sustained winds of 30 mph (48 kmph).