Gulf Coast Could Face Another Hurricane

The National Hurricane Center on Saturday said Tropical Storm Milton, which formed in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, is expected to bring “the risk of life-threatening impacts” to the state’s Gulf Coast in the coming days.

In information posted released at 11 a.m. Saturday, when the storm was still a tropical depression, the hurricane center said the weather system was “forecast to quickly intensify while it moves eastward to northeastward across the Gulf of Mexico and be at or near major hurricane strength when it reaches the west coast of the Florida peninsula mid 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 hurricane center said. “Residents in these areas should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place, follow any advice given by local officials, and check back for updates to the forecast.”

The hurricane center later issued an update that said the system had strengthened to a tropical storm.

Hurricane and storm-surge watches are likely for parts of Florida on Sunday, according to the hurricane center .

“Another hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast in the wake of #Helene is unthinkable, but we cannot ignore this & must get prepared now,” U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., said Saturday in a post on the social-media platform X.

The meteorological company AccuWeather on Saturday forecast the storm would reach Category 1 or 2 strength on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale and make landfall Wednesday morning just south of Tampa Bay.

“At this time, the greatest threat to lives and property appears to be due to torrential rainfall that can lead to dangerous, damaging and disruptive urban flooding in Central and South Florida, beginning as early as Sunday and lasting through the middle of next week,” AccuWeather said online. “Besides torrential rainfall and flooding concerns, this storm can bring rough surf, dangerous seas and strong winds that cause power outages and even tornadoes.”

AccuWeather forecast 4 to 8 inches of rain in most parts of Central Florida and South Florida, with heavier rain and totals of 8 to 12 inches in places such as Tampa and Orlando.

Rainfall could include “several inches per hour” in some metro areas, “easily overwhelming the storm drainage system in cities such as Cape Coral, Naples, Port Charlotte, Fort Myers, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Melbourne,” AccuWeather said.

“Even though much of Florida’s soil is very sandy and can absorb heavy rain quickly, there will still be enough runoff that works into creeks, lakes and rivers to trigger flooding,” AccuWeather said. “Water levels may rise quickly on the smaller streams and lakes but may take a week or two to cycle through rivers such as the Peace, Imperial, Hillsborough, Myakka and St. Johns.”

The storm comes as Florida continues to recover from Hurricane Helene, which made landfall Sept. 26 as a Category 4 storm in Taylor County. It caused extensive flooding in coastal communities as it moved up the Gulf Coast and caused damage across rural North Florida after landfall. It packed 140 mph winds as it made landfall.

At least 15 deaths have been tied to Helene in Florida. More than 200 additional deaths have been reported in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and North Carolina, where rescue efforts have been slowed by rain-inducing mudslides.

If Milton becomes a hurricane and hits Florida, it would be the third landfall in the state this year. Category 1 Hurricane Debby hit Taylor County in August.