A tropical storm is likely to develop in the Gulf of Mexico late this weekend or early this week, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Forecasters said Friday evening that there is a 70% chance of development in the next seven days and a 30% chance in the next 48 hours.
“Heavy rainfall is possible in parts of Florida late this weekend through the middle of next week,” the Hurricane Center said in a statement.
The latest forecast comes just over a week after Hurricane Helene ravaged Florida’s Gulf Coast from Tampa Bay to the Big Bend region before causing catastrophic destruction in western North Carolina and parts of Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia.
READ MORE: For Tampa Bay, Helene was the worst storm in a century
The National Hurricane Center said officials and residents of the Gulf Coast and Florida Keys should keep a close eye on the system.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
