AccuWeather.com

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

Aug 31, 2011; 1:13 PM ET

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This infrared satellite image from earlier this morning shows the feature of interest over the northwestern Caribbean.

Katia is expected to strengthen into a hurricane later today, but a tropical wave currently moving through the northwestern Caribbean could pose a more immediate threat to the United States.

There is a possibility that more than just tropical moisture flows into Texas in the upcoming days. We could be looking at tropical storm formation in the central or western Gulf of Mexico.

The tropical wave in question is rather disorganized at this time, but there is room for development late in the week and into the weekend.

Where the future tropical system will head after developing is not set in stone, but a track into Texas is possible.

It is also not out of the question that the system moves northeastward and targets the eastern Gulf Coast, then eventually the East Coast with heavy rain.

Potential Track into Texas

The tropics may yet lend a hand in the Texas drought situation if the tropical wave rolling through the northwestern Caribbean eventually lands in Texas.

The seriousness of the drought and heat in Texas goes without saying, and most of Texas would be willing to take a hit from a tropical storm or minimal hurricane to bring a change.

However, we have a general saying here at AccuWeather, "Droughts often end with floods." With big weather often the case in Texas, the Lone Star State is no exception to this saying.

The reason for this is that it simply takes a strong weather system or major pattern change to end a drought.

We are not going to say either is definitely coming to parts of Texas at this point, but there will be a disturbance milling around in the western or central Gulf of Mexico during the second half of this week.

Such a slow-moving system that this wave could become has the potential to unload heavy rainfall over a multiple-day period.

Texas and neighboring areas easily can handle a few inches of rain over several days. However, the scenario where some places get over 10 inches of rain or more during the same period, could result in disastrous flooding despite the current drought conditions is not off the table in this case.

Another Scenario: Eastern Gulf Coast Landfall

It is not out of the question that Texas misses out on another opportunity for drought relief if the tropical wave takes aim at the eastern Gulf Coast after developing.

In this scenario, the system would continue tracking northeastward through the Southeast. Flooding would be a certainty if the system unleashes another round of heavy rain onto eastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia.

The danger of serious flooding would travel northward with the system if it continues up the East Coast instead of tracking out to sea.

Until the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center pinpoints the exact track of this tropical wave, all residents and visitors along the Gulf Coast should monitor its progress.

Other Tropical Activity in the Atlantic

Elsewhere across the Atlantic Basin, Tropical Storm Katia is expected to become our next hurricane later today or tonight and could be a concern for the waters and real estate in the western Atlantic Basin. Another area of disturbed weather near Bermuda could follow in the footsteps of short-lived Tropical Storm Jose.

Both the system near Bermuda and the other moving into the Gulf of Mexico could compete for names on the Atlantic tropical cyclone list. The next two names for 2011 are Lee and Maria.

Information for tropical activity around the globe can be found on the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center.

AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski contributed to the content of this story.