Tropical Storm Milton approaches Florida, likely to become a hurricane

Less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene left a devastating and deadly trail across the Southeast, another storm is forecast to reach Florida next week — bringing threats of heavy rain, strong winds and flash flooding to the already-storm battered state.

The National Weather Service said Saturday that a tropical storm, named Milton, has formed in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm is heading toward the west coast of the Florida Peninsula. It is forecast to strengthen rapidly into a hurricane on Sunday night and become a major hurricane as it approaches the Florida coast, according to a 5 p.m. ET update from the NWS.

Forecasters said the storm is expected to bring potentially life-threatening storm conditions, including storm surge and strong winds, starting late Tuesday or Wednesday. Meanwhile, some parts of Florida will be drenched by heavy rainfall as soon as Sunday or Monday.

Parts of South Florida were already experiencing heavy rainfall on Saturday. South Florida was expected to receive up to 7 inches of rain through Thursday. The NWS plans to issue a flood watch for parts of Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties starting Sunday morning through Thursday morning.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Saturday issued a state of emergency for 35 counties, including all of central Florida, in preparation for Milton’s arrival.

The governor’s order activates the Florida National Guard as needed and expedites debris cleanup from Hurricane Helene.

The prospect of another major storm comes as communities across the Southeast continue to uncover the full extent of Helene’s damage. Six states — Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia — were hit the hardest. Helene’s death toll has surpassed 200.

In Florida, at least 19 people have died as a result of the storm, according to USA Today.
Helene is considered one of the deadliest hurricanes to have hit the continental U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.