Tropical cyclone may form in Gulf of Mexico: NHC

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A subtropical or tropical cyclone could form over the Gulf of Mexico during the next couple of days, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Tuesday.

The NHC said the cyclone could develop out of an upper-level low over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and a weak surface low near the southern tip of Florida.

The center of the system was located between the Bahamas and the southeastern coast of Florida, according to the weather models.

The models showed the system will move northwest across Florida. Three of five models show the system will enter the Gulf of Mexico and make landfall in a few days between Mississippi and the Florida Panhandle.

Another model, however, showed the storm moving north up the Florida Peninsula and into Georgia.

A subtropical depression has high winds and thunderstorms near the outer edge of the system, while a tropical depression has high winds and thunderstorms near the center.

Hence, the biggest damage caused by a tropical system is usually near the center of the storm, while in a subtropical system the biggest effect is closer to the outer edge of the storm.

The energy market watches for tropical storms in the Gulf of Mexico because they can disrupt U.S. oil and natural gas production and refining there.

Commodities traders track tropical storms because they can damage citrus crops in Florida and such crops as cotton along the Gulf Coast.

The NHC will name the next tropical storm Noel.