BREAKING: Florida Now Under NEW Hurricane Threat

Projections released Saturday by the National Hurricane
Center bring a powerful hurricane to already battered
Florida midweek. This projected path is subject to change

 In a report I did yesterday, it appeared as if some sort of tropical system heading toward Florida might prove weak and disorganized.  

At least that was the hope. 

Now, however, many of the same parts of Florida severely whacked by Hurricane Helene are about to get it again. That "weak" storm is now expected to become a powerful hurricane. 

As of this morning, a tropical depression had formed in the western Gulf of Mexico. It is expected to strengthen slowly at first, then rapidly as it moves at an increasing forward speed toward the west coast of Florida. 

Per the National Hurricane Center:

"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. Residents in these areas should ensure they have their hurricane plans in place, follow any advice given by local officials and check back for updates in the forecast. "

The forecast path could change, but right now, the projected path takes what will probably be Hurricane Milton could end up somewhere near Tampa or Fort Myers around Wednesday. This is the precise area of Florida that suffered record high storm surges and probably more than $1 billion in damage from coastal flooding less that two weeks ago.

On top of that, current forecasts have top wind speeds at landfall somewhere near 110 mph. Given the record warm temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico feeding this storm, those winds could end up being stronger than forecast. 

People there are only just beginning to clean up that mess, and here we go again. It's so disheartening. I really feel for these people.

Also, sort of like Helene, heavy rain is likely to precede the arrival of Wannabe Milton on Monday and Tuesday in Florida. That would prime the pump for inland flooding once the hurricane hits. 

If there's any good news out of this, strong indications are wannabe Milton will move in an east to northeast direction across Florida and then out into the Atlantic Ocean off the Georgia and South Carolina coasts on Thursday. 

That means it will NOT curve up toward western North Carolina and surrounding areas, scene of the deadly and cataclysmic floods with Helene at the end of September.  No rain is forecast in western North Carolina for the next week at least. 

Further out in the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricanes Kirk and Leslie pose no threats to land. However, once Kirk ceases being a hurricane in the cold North Atlantic waters, it will become a powerful "regular" storm that could cause wind damage and flooding in much of western Europe toward Wednesday and Thursday.