Tropical depression could form in Caribbean - NHC

NEW YORK, July 18 (Reuters) - The low-pressure system in the eastern Caribbean Sea north of Curacao and Aruba could become a tropical depression during the next day or two as it moves toward the oil producing U.S. Gulf Coast over the next several days, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its 2 a.m. EDT (0600 GMT) advisory Friday.

Most weather models predict the system will cross the Caribbean, hit Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, and reach the northern Gulf of Mexico in about five days.

It is too soon to tell where the system will make landfall, but the models point to a possible hit somewhere between Texas and Louisiana.

The energy market has been watching this system since the NHC first forecast it could develop into a tropical depression on Monday.

Energy traders watch for storms that could enter the Gulf of Mexico and threaten U.S. oil and gas production facilities.

Commodities traders also watch storms that could hit agriculture crops like citrus and cotton in Florida and other states along the Gulf Coast.

If the system manages to strengthen into a tropical storm, with winds of 39 to 73 mph, the NHC will name it Cristobal.

GEORGIA SYSTEM

The NHC was also watching a low pressure system just off the southern Georgia Coast that also could develop into a tropical depression during the next couple of days as it moves north or north-northeast.

The weather models expect the Georgia system to skirt the Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina coastline over the next few days before drifting into the open waters of the North Atlantic. (Reporting by Scott DiSavino; Editing by John Picinich)