HOLT, Fla., Oct. 5, 2024—The National Hurricane Center has started issuing updates on Tropical Depression Fourteen that has developed in the southwest Gulf of Mexico.

What will likely be named Milton later today is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane as early as Monday and could reach category 2 or higher as it approaches Florida.

The depression is forecast to quickly intensify as it moves across the south-central Gulf Monday and Tuesday, approaching the Florida peninsula by midweek, bringing life-threatening impacts to portions of the west coast.

There is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and wind impacts for portions of the west coast beginning late Tuesday or Wednesday, according to the NHC.

Areas of heavy rainfall will impact portions of Florida tomorrow to Monday well ahead of the system, with heavy rainfall more directly related to Milton expected by later Tuesday through Wednesday.

This rainfall will bring the risk of flash, urban, rural and river flooding.

In other tropical news, Tropical Storm Leslie has intensified to category 1 hurricane strength. Hurricane Kirk is still a major storm, but has weakened to category 3.

Finally, a tropical wave is expected to move off the coast of Africa Monday or Tuesday. Some development is possible as it moves west-northwest across the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean.

National Hurricane Center forecast