Tropical Depression 14 forms in Gulf, eyes Florida ahead of rapidly intensifying into Hurricane Milton

An alarming change in the forecast now shows the potential for a dangerous hurricane to strike the west coast of Florida later this week with damaging winds, life-threatening storm surge and torrential rain.The budding cyclone was designated Tropical Depression Fourteen on Saturday morning by the National Hurricane Center, but it’s now expected to rapidly intensify into a hurricane by early to middle of next week, eventually reaching Florida on Wednesday.The forecast with TD14 has evolved quite a bit in the last 24 hours, showing greater potential to be a more significant storm.“I don’t like the way this is developing at all, and it’s going to happen pretty quickly,” says FOX Weather Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross.“It just means the odds are significantly higher (Saturday) than they were (Friday) that a memorable, impactful storm is going to impact Florida in the days ahead.” Tropical Depression Fourteen is about 240 miles northeast of Veracruz, Mexico.

It has peak winds of 35 mph and is moving northeast at 3 mph.TD Fourteen is forecast to pick up speed early next week and turn to the east/northeast across the central and eastern Gulf of Mexico, reaching hurricane strength on Monday with rapid strengthening likely during the early part of the week, according to the NHC.Once it reaches tropical storm strength, it’ll take the name Milton.“The GFS (model) and the European (model) have a significant storm offshore (of Florida on Wednesday),” Norcross said.

“How significant is this? Yes, it could be a hurricane.Decent chance.

And these models, they say hurricane.Could it be a strong hurricane? Category two, Category three.

We can’t even rule that out.”He added: “There is really no good news in any of these various computer forecasts, but here we are.”The NHC echoes those concerns.“Regardless of the exact details of the intensity forecast, an intense hurricane with multiple life-threatening hazards is likely to affect the we...