The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is monitoring a disturbance in the northwestern Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico that could evolve into a tropical storm and bring more rain to Florida only a week after Hurricane Helene ravaged the state.
Helene made landfall last Thursday night as a Category 4 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of around 140 mph near the city of Perry in the state's Big Bend region. The storm then moved northward, trekking through Georgia and bringing fatalities across several Southern and Southeastern states, with storm surge, devastating winds and torrential rain that threatened several dams and inundated Asheville, North Carolina, with floodwaters. More than 150 people were killed by the storm, the Associated Press reported.
Five days after the storm passed through Florida, boil water advisories remain in place for several counties, and damage related to the hurricane stretches across several states.
However, the Atlantic hurricane season is still active. The NHC is monitoring two systems to the east of Florida -- Tropical Storm Kirk and another system that has yet to strengthen into a named storm. Both of these will likely remain out at sea and not bring impacts to Florida's east coast other than strong rip currents.
However, the NHC is keeping a close eye on another system that could strengthen into a tropical storm in the next seven days.
"A broad trough of low pressure is producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms from the southwestern Caribbean Sea into the southern Gulf of Mexico," the NHC said. "Environmental conditions could support some gradual development of this system, and a tropical depression could form towards the end of this week or this weekend as the broader disturbance moves fully into the Gulf of Mexico. Interests along the U.S. Gulf Coast should continue to monitor the progress of this system."
The disturbance has a near 0 percent chance of formation in the next 48 hours, with chances that jump to 40 percent when looking at the next seven days.
It is unclear if the storm will make direct landfall in the U.S. this early into its development, although meteorologists are warning people to remain on alert.
"If we are going to watch anything in the mainland United States, it would be that one," NWS meteorologist George Rizzuto previously told Newsweek.
NWS meteorologist Tony Hurt told Newsweek that regardless of development, the storm is influencing atmospheric moisture in the region that is expected to bring some rain to Florida's western coast this weekend.
"As of right now, the disturbance is not taking shape yet," Hurt said.
However, there's up to a 60 percent chance for increased rain across much of Tampa this weekend. Rain is not expected to contribute to flooding in the area, although Hurt said the weather could impede clean-up efforts for Hurricane Helene. Hurt also warned of some short-term ponding and minor street flooding related to the rain.
If a storm were to develop, it would further enhance the risk of rain across parts of Florida, as well.