Just days after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida and carved a path of destruction across the southern United States—leaving in its wake a death toll that has eclipsed 170 so far—the National Hurricane Center is keeping its eye on another system in the Gulf of Mexico that could soon make a turn toward Florida. “Environmental conditions could support some gradual development of this system, and a tropical depression could form over the weekend as the broader disturbance moves fully into the Gulf of Mexico,” forecasters said. “Interests along the U.S. Gulf Coast should continue to monitor the progress of this system.” They also gave it a 40 percent chance of developing in the next seven days. The National Weather Service, meanwhile, expects that there will be some impact to Florida, even if it’s just rain rather than a full-blown storm, by early next week. The full scope of the havoc wreaked by Helene in the last week is still in the process of being understood.
