Florida is on alert as a new tropical depression forms in the Gulf just days after Hurricane Helene

CNN
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Less than 10 days after Hurricane Helene hit Florida, the state is now bracing for another potential storm brewing in the Gulf of Mexico.

Tropical Depression 14 formed in the western Gulf Saturday morning and is expected to become Tropical Storm Milton within the next 24 hours, the National Hurricane Center said. The 13th named storm, which has the letter M, is progressing – it typically doesn't appear until October 25th.

“The low pressure system is forecast to rapidly strengthen as it moves east-northeast across the Gulf of Mexico and will reach or near strong hurricane strength as it approaches the west coast of the Florida Peninsula midweek “said the hurricane center.

There is very good agreement with weather forecast models. This system will continue moving eastward and make landfall on the west coast of the Florida Peninsula on Wednesday.

Hurricane and storm surge warnings are expected to be issued for parts of Florida's coast on Sunday.

“Regardless of developments, locally heavy rainfall could occur over the next day or two in parts of Mexico and much of Florida from the end of this weekend into the middle of next week,” the NHC said.

The storm threat comes after Helene made a Category 4 landfall in Florida's Big Bend on September 26, leaving a 500-mile path of destruction with catastrophic flooding, damaging winds and power outages. Local authorities have reported more than 200 deaths in six states and fear the number could rise.

Helene was one of the largest storms the Gulf of Mexico has experienced in the last century.

The latest storm forecast calls for widespread rainfall amounts of 4 to 6 inches across nearly the entire length of the state, from Gainesville down to Key West, with isolated higher amounts of up to 10 inches possible through Thursday. Tampa has already received more than 20 inches of rain above normal this year. Cities like Melbourne, Jacksonville, Naples and Fort Myers all have more than a foot of excess rainfall so far this year.

There is also an increasing risk of a storm surge for the western Florida peninsula late Tuesday or Wednesday. Damaging winds, tornadoes and water spouts are also possible next week.

The hurricane center is warning people in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, the Florida Peninsula, the Florida Keys and the Bahamas to closely monitor this system for any impacts this weekend and early next week.