A low pressure area located just offshore of the east coast of Florida has a 40% likelihood of evolving into a cyclone within the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Tuesday.

As of the NHC's latest update, issued early Thursday morning, the agency said there was now a 50 percent chance of cyclone formation over the next seven days, and a low, 10 percent chance of formation in the next 48 hours.

A low-pressure system could form offshore and move toward the eastern Gulf by mid to late next week, bringing rain to Southeast Louisiana.