A Gulf of Mexico tropical storm could turn into a powerful hurricane and slam Florida as the southeastern United States continues to recover from the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Helene just days ago.
Tropical Storm Milton, which formed Saturday morning, could begin to impact the continental U.S. next week.
“There is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and wind impacts for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning late Tuesday or Wednesday,” the National Hurricane Center wrote in an advisory on the storm.
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The storm could make landfall later in the week, threatening further damage to an already battered region.
The first tremors of what’s to come could begin as early as this weekend, the NHC added.
“Areas of heavy rainfall will impact portions of Florida Sunday and Monday well ahead of Milton,” which could cause flooding, it wrote.
Fox Weather meteorologist Bryan Norcross expressed his concern at the rate of the storm’s intensification.
“I don’t like the way this is developing at all, and it's going to happen pretty quickly,” he said. “It just means the odds are significantly higher [Saturday] than they were [Friday] that a memorable, impactful storm is going to impact Florida in the days ahead.”
Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida less than 10 days ago, tore a path across the southern U.S., left a death toll of over 220 and incomprehensible damage. It is the second-deadliest hurricane to ravage the mainland United States since Katrina killed 1,833 people in 2005.
The search for missing people continues—as do relief efforts to restore power, rebuild infrastructure, and distribute supplies across the affected region.
