Storm set to strengthen into Hurricane Milton and take aim at Florida just week after Helene

Just a week after Hurricane Helene devastated Florida and its neighbors in the southeastern US, another storm is expected to rampage the state.

More than200 people died after the region was ravaged by Helene, causing widespread floods and power outages. As of Saturday afternoon, there are no warnings or watches in place but hurricane and storm surge watches will likely be required forportions of Florida on Sunday as Tropical Storm Milton barrels through the Gulf toward the state, the National Hurricane Center predicted.

The now-tropical storm is forecast to become a hurricane early Monday, according to the center: “The system could become a major hurricane while it moves across the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico.”

National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Jamie Rhome on Saturday afternoon anticipated the storm strengthening into a Category 2 or 3 hurricane.

The center warned of an increase in the “risk of life-threatening storm surge, strong winds, and flooding rainfall” for the west coast of Florida and further inland beginning late Tuesday.

The state could see 110 mph winds on Wednesday morning, indicating a “potentially very impactful” hurricane.

The state is still reeling from the impacts of Helene, a Category 4 hurricane that made landfall in Florida last week before itravaged Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Hundreds of thousands are still without power a week after Helene hit — and now must somehow prepare for yet another storm.

Heavy rainfall is likely to impact parts of Florida on Sunday into Monday ahead of when the storm is expected to make landfall, the center said, and could cause flash flooding.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been surveying the