Hurricane, tropical storm watches for Gulf of Mexico as Tropical Cyclone 9 heads for Cuba and Mexico

Tropical Cyclone 9 formed this Monday over the western Caribbean, east of Central America, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and reports from the Florida based Tallahassee Democrat newspaper.

As a result of the new warnings, hurricane watches have already been issued for parts of Cuba and Mexico. The Weather Channelreported that the storm has already been projected as future Hurricane Helene.

According to the Monday 11:00 a.m. bulletin ET, the system was 130 miles south-southwest of the Cayman Islands and 350 miles south-southeast of the western tip of Cuba, and was carrying maximum sustained winds of 30 mph and moving north at 6 mph.

It is expected to gradually develop into a named storm in the coming days and could quickly strengthen into a formidable hurricane as it accelerates toward the northeastern Gulf Coast, including parts of the Panhandle and Florida's Big Bend.

Tropical Storm and Hurricane Warnings:

Hurricane Watch: One for Cabo Catoche to Tulum, Mexico; and another for the Cuban province of Pinar del Río.

Tropical Storm Warning: A warning for Río Lagartos to Tulum, Mexico; and another for the Cuban provinces of Artemisa and Pinar del Río, and the Isle of Youth.