Tropical Depression 14 forms in Gulf as Florida braces for impact

Florida could soon face another severe storm as a tropical depression is forming in the western Gulf of Mexico, the National Weather Service warned Saturday.

“It is 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," NWS wrote in a post on social platform X.

"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 service wrote in a separate post, sharing a photo of the expected storm path.

NWS also urged residents on the west coast of Florida to "ensure they have their hurricane plan in place," pay attention to advice given by local authorities and to keep checking the website for updates.

The storm has a 70 percent chance of further development within the next two days, and a 90 percent chance within the next five days, according to reports from Forbes. 

The National Hurricane Center is also tracking the tropical depression as it forms.

The storm, which would be named "Milton" if it strengthens into a hurricane, is just one of several being tracked by the center. Hurricanes Leslie and Kirk, which both originated off the African coast, could also hit the east coast over the weekend or into next week.

The latest weather threat comes just days after Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Sunshine State as a Category 4 storm late last month, hitting the southeastern U.S. with deadly winds and heavy flooding, and knocking out power for millions of people.

”You gotta feel bad for Florida with the next storm aiming landfall next week,” meterologist Mike Ventrice wrote in a post on X. “Nobody is manipulating the weather. This is just Mother Nature's wrath with a warmer ocean state.”