A former tropical disturbance being watched by hurricane forecasters failed to form into a tropical depression before reaching the Louisiana coast, but it still threatens downpours and flash flooding as it marches inland on July 18,

A tropical disturbance in the Gulf is set to dump heavy rain in the South as the Northeast braces for more flooding. The tropical system in the Gulf has a 40% chance of developing into a tropical depression, and if it strengthens enough to a named storm, it would be dubbed Dexter.

Torrential downpours that can trigger dangerous flooding is the main threat from a tropical rainstorm along the north-central Gulf coast for the balance of this week. Southern Louisiana is in the crosshairs.