Regardless of whether a tropical depression forms in the Gulf of Mexico this week, Lafayette and south Louisiana can expect heavy rainfall and potential floods, according to the National Weather Service.

The National Hurricane Center thinks a tropical depression could form in the Gulf in a few days. Forecasters continued to track an area of low pressure that was in the western Atlantic Ocean just east of the Florida peninsula on Tuesday. It is expected to move westward, across the Sunshine State, and into the Gulf by Wednesday.

A weather system moving across Florida wasn’t even a tropical something but it has the potential to develop into a tropical depression as it moves across the Gulf later in the week

The National Hurricane Center is tracking Invest 93L. Could tropical storm Dexter develop? What is the weather forecast for travel? What we know

A trough of low pressure located offshore the Atlantic Coast of northern Florida could bring heavy rains to the Gulf Coast region and Southeast Louisiana later this week as it moves westward, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The risk of heavy rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds coming to south Louisiana this week has increased as a low pressure system near Florida heads for the Gulf of Mexico.

The NOAA hurricane tracker is following Invest 93L at the National Hurricane Center. What is the tropical weather forecast for Florida travel? What we know

The National Weather Service in Mobile will also be closely watching the system and expects the risk for rip currents along the Alabama and northwest Florida coasts to increase to moderate by Wednesday and high by Thursday, which means swimming in the Gulf will be hazardous.

Forecasters are keeping a close eye on an upper-level disturbance that could bring tropical development to the Gulf of Mexico in the coming days, although the risk remains low.