A tropical depression forms that could impact Florida as a hurricane next week.

On the morning of this Saturday, tropical depression 14 formed in the Gulf of Mexico, threatening to impact the west coast of Florida next week, according to the latest report from the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

"It is forecasted that the tropical depression will rapidly intensify as it moves from east to northeast across the Gulf of Mexico and will reach or be close to reaching major hurricane strength when it reaches the west coast of the Florida peninsula by mid-week," the NHC warned.

At 11:00 a.m., the system was located 210 miles north-northeast of Veracruz, Mexico, and 350 miles from Progreso, Mexico, with winds of 35 mph (55 km/h). It was moving north-northeast at 6 mph.

The potential tropical storm Milton will move faster at the beginning of the week and is likely to reach hurricane status before making landfall on the southwest coast of Florida by midweek.

The NHC says that the system is becoming better organized, so as the hours and days go by, "the risk of storm surges and potentially deadly winds in parts of the west coast of Florida" will increase starting Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday.

The tropical depression has already begun to unleash heavy rains and thunderstorms over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, and the NHC forecasts that it will move slowly.

The NHC reported that the areas that should monitor the advance of the system are the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, the Florida Peninsula and the Keys, and the northwest Bahamas.

It is likely that hurricane and tropical storm watches will be issued this Sunday for some portions of Florida.

"Regardless of the development, locally heavy rains could occur in parts of Mexico over the next day or two, and in much of Florida from the end of this weekend into the middle of next week," according to the meteorological agency.

Authorities indicated that residents in these areas where the storm could reach should make sure "to have their plan" to prepare or evacuate, if necessary, ahead of the arrival of a hurricane. They recommend "following the advice of local officials and checking forecast updates."

The probable impact of another hurricane in Florida just days after the devastating passage of Hurricane Helene is a cold bucket of water for residents in the state, especially for those in the north and west who suffered the worst consequences of the previous weather phenomenon.