Tropical Storm Lorenzo Forms in Gulf of Mexico

NOAA An Air Force Hurricane Hunter plane clocked 60 mph sustained winds in the heart of the depression that has been parked 130 miles off the Mexican coast in the Gulf of Mexico, making Tropical Storm Lorenzo the 12th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

Tropical storm warnings and watches are in effect for a swath of the Mexican gulf coast for the next one to three two days. Tropical Storm Lorenzo is moving very slowly -- at just 3 mph -- west-southwest toward the Mexican shore, and it is not expected to gain further strength. But the storm could deluge Mexico with 5-10 inches of rain, and as much as 15 inches in some isolated areas. National Hurricane Center

The storm puts the Atlantic hurricane season within sight of the pre-season predictions of an above-average year. The U.S. forecast called for 13-16 named storms. With just three of them becoming hurricanes so far (not counting Tropical Storm Karen, which may briefly have reached hurricane strength last night) the season is falling short of expectations for 7-9 hurricanes.

Two of those hurricanes -- Dean and Felix -- were Category 5 storms and both made landfall within a few days of one another, setting a record. Forecasters predicted 3-5 of the hurricanes would reach major status, of Category 3 or higher. Dean and Felix make two. The official hurricane season lasts through October.

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