A hurricane watch is in effect for select locations in the U.S. Gulf Coast after Tropical Storm Karen formed in the southeastern section of the Gulf of Mexico.
The watch covers from Grand Isle, Louisiana, east to Indian Pass, Florida, where the center of the storm should arrive by Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The storm caused the Federal Emergency Management Agency to recall some its workers, who are on a leave of absence during the government shutdown, and reactivated its Hurricane Liaison Team at the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
"Karen is expected to be at or near hurricane strength on Friday," according to a center advisory.
A tropical storm watch is in effect from west of Grand Isle to Morgan City, Louisiana, an area which also includes metropolitan New Orleans, Lake Maurepas and Lake Ponchartrain, according to CNN.
New Orleans officials released a press statement saying residents should ""monitor weather conditions and stay alert."
FEMA workers in the Denton, and Atlanta, Texas offices are closely monitoring Karen.
Click here to track the storm.
"At all times, FEMA maintains commodities, including millions of liters of water, millions of meals and hundreds of thousands of blankets, strategically located at distribution centers throughout the United States, including in the Gulf Coast region, that are available to state and local partners if needed and requested," the agency said in a statement.
The storm has a high chance close to "100 percent" of becoming a hurricane or cyclone in the next two days, it said.
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