Forecasters say tropical storm likely to form this weekend or early next week

A tropical storm will likely develop in the Gulf of Mexico late this weekend or early in the week, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters said Friday night that there is a 70% chance of development over the next seven days and a 30% chance in the next 48 hours as the system of low pressure makes its way to Florida.

“Heavy rainfall could occur over portions of Florida late this weekend into the middle of next week,” the Hurricane Center said in a statement.

The latest forecast comes just over a week after Hurricane Helene battered Florida’s Gulf coast from Tampa Bay to the Big Bend region before causing catastrophic destruction to western North Carolina and parts of Tennessee, Georgia and Virginia.

READ MORE: For Tampa Bay, Helene was the worst storm in a century

The National Hurricane Center said that officials and residents on the Gulf Coast and the Florida Keys should closely watch the system.

“Regardless of tropical or subtropical development, locally heavy rains could occur over portions of Mexico during the next day or two, and over much of Florida late this weekend through the middle of next week,” forecasters said in the advisory.

READ MORE: Heavy rains, flooding predicted to plague South Florida starting Sunday through next week

That National Weather Service Miami said a flood watch “will likely be issued for South Florida at some point this weekend.”

Forecasters are predicting rainfall of 8-10 inches in parts of Broward County, 6-8 inches in Miami-Dade, and around 6 inches in the Keys over the next week, whether the tropical storm develops or not.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.