Forecasters are now monitoring the potential for another storm to brew in the Gulf of Mexico, but that is unlikely to be nearly as strong or disruptive.

Details are hazy at best, but there are signs that a new area of low pressure could form in the gulf late in the week. The National Hurricane Center estimates 40 percent odds of eventual development.

Regardless of whether a storm comes together, it looks like the weather pattern will support areas of heavy rain along portions of the Gulf Coast, especially Florida. Some areas could see half a foot of rain in the next seven to 10 days, with greater amounts in some areas should a named storm materialize.

Meanwhile, the Hurricane Center is monitoring Tropical Storm Kirk and a trailing system over the open Atlantic Ocean.

Possible Gulf threat

A broad, rotating area of low pressure and shower and thunderstorms — known as the Central American Gyre — is taking shape across northern South America and portions of Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Honduras. That feature will gradually work northwest up the spine of Central America in the coming days.

Leftover spin associated with that gyre may emerge in the southern Gulf of Mexico by the weekend. If a storm forms, it would probably move northeast into the central or eastern gulf, given overall steering currents. The intensity of any system would be limited by shear, or disruptive changing winds with height. That’s to say that a major hurricane would be highly unlikely, and a tropical rainstorm or low-end hurricane would be more reasonable worst-case scenarios.

That means the main hazard with any possible system, should it develop, would come from water — surge at the coast, and heavy rains there and inland. Impacts would be greater on the east side of any system because of winds aloft, which could blow storminess east of any system’s center.

While subject to change, steering currents would probably push any storminess across the Florida Peninsula next week and then into the Atlantic rather than the southeast and the southern Appalachians.

For now it’s worth monitoring, but no action is necessary.

Elsewhere in the tropics

Beyond the Gulf of Mexico, the Hurricane Center is monitoring other areas of interest, but none are a threat to land at this time.

Tropical Storm Kirk is located roughly midway between the Lesser Antilles and Africa, and has 70 mph winds. It’s moving west-northwest at 13 mph and will probably become a major hurricane later this week as it drifts over the central Atlantic.

Behind that, another system will probably develop over the east-central Atlantic and earn the name Leslie. Its long-term track is uncertain, but it is no immediate threat to land areas.

The Hurricane Center is no longer issuing advisories for tropical storms Isaac, which lost its tropical characteristics, and Joyce, which is dissipating.

Jason Samenow contributed to this report.