Invest 97L is expected to become Helene in the Gulf this week

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - A disturbance in the western Caribbean, dubbed Invest 97L, shows signs of organization Sunday.

It's located just off the coast of Honduras and Nicaragua and is expected to strengthen in the coming days as it heads for the Gulf this week.

It's poised to become a depression or a tropical storm by Tuesday and enter the Gulf of Mexico around Wednesday, where further strengthening is expected.

Once in the Gulf, Invest 97L is heading for a conducive environment. Guidance suggests a hurricane will likely make landfall by late week.

This week's upper air stirring flow suggests landfall locations anywhere from Alabama to Florida could be possible. But impacts will be felt from Louisiana to South Florida.

The exact track and intensity are not yet determined.

The NHC labels a disturbance an "invest" once it shows signs of organizing. This means it's run through the various hurricane models which will help with guidance on a possible track.

When Invest 97-L develops into a tropical storm, it will be named Helene.