T&W News Operations: Tropical Depression Two Development Update

AURORA, IL — The T&W News Operations Hurricane Center is closely monitoring Tropical Depression Two, which officially formed in the northeastern Gulf of America as of 11:00 AM EDT, Sunday, July 19, 2026.

Current System Status

The system is currently situated approximately 155 miles south of Panama City, Florida, with maximum sustained winds estimated at 30 mph. The depression is moving slowly to the north-northwest at approximately 2 mph. An Air Force Hurricane Hunter aircraft is scheduled to investigate the system later today to provide critical data on its structure and intensity.

Watches and Expected Impacts

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the Florida Panhandle, specifically from the Ochlockonee River to the Florida/Alabama border, as conditions could reach tropical storm intensity within the next 36 to 48 hours. Forecasters anticipate the system may strengthen into Tropical Storm Bertha by Monday morning.

Primary hazards identified by the T&W News Hurricane Division include:

• Heavy Rainfall: Rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches are expected, with localized amounts potentially reaching 8 inches through Thursday across the eastern and central Gulf Coast.
• Flash Flooding: Significant risk of flash flooding is projected, particularly in urban areas and locations with poor drainage.
• Storm Surge: Coastal flooding is possible, with water levels potentially reaching 1 to 3 feet above ground in areas between Indian Pass and Chassahowitzka, Florida.

Residents in the affected regions are urged to review their emergency preparedness plans and monitor official updates from the National Hurricane Center at Hurricanes.gov.

T&W News Operations Hurricane Division: Social Media Profile

Handle: @TWNewsOps_Hurricane Platform: X / Integrated Digital Dashboards Mission: Providing real-time, hyper-local weather telemetry and public safety broadcasting for the Operations Division of TNW News LLC. Status: ACTIVE — MONITORING TROPICAL DEPRESSION TWO Current Directive: Aggregated data streams from NHC, Air Force reconnaissance, and regional weather sensors are synced to the T&W News Operations web application to ensure public safety in the northern Gulf region.