With Hurricane Milton's landfall hours away , yet another tropical storm might be forming near the east coast of Florida , potentially adding to the havoc Milton is slated to wreak .
Likely to be named Nadine, the tropical disturbance has not been officially designated as a tropical storm yet by the National Hurricane Center , which is nevertheless monitoring it for growth.
If Nadine strengthens into a tropical storm or even a low-level hurricane, the effects on Florida, which will have just weathered Milton by the time Nadine reaches land, could be even more "catastrophic" than the NHC already said they would be once Milton makes landfall.
However, the chances of that happening are rather low, according to the NHC. "Showers and thunderstorms associated with a gale-force, non-tropical, low-pressure system located about 375 miles west-southwest of Bermuda have become less organized during the last several hours," the NHC wrote in its latest update about Southwestern Atlantic storm AL93.
The center added, "Although environmental conditions are becoming less favorable for development, a short-lived tropical or subtropical storm could still form today or this evening while the low moves northeastward to east-northeastward at around 15 mph. Upper-level winds are forecast to become too strong for further development later tonight."
At present, the chance of the storm forming into a cyclone over the next 48 hours is listed as "medium" at just 40%. That's the same percent chance for the next seven days as well. In other words, it's unlikely that the tropical disturbance will form into even a tropical storm, but the chances aren't zero, and there are already gale-force winds attached to the system.
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According to NCH specialist Andrew Hagen, the chances are expected to lessen significantly over the next day or so, making the hypothetical Hurricane Nadine even less likely.
Florida is now buckling down for Hurricane Milton, which could reach land any hour. It's currently classed as a Category 4 storm by the NHC, with sustained wind speeds of 155 mph, barely under the threshold for a Category 5 storm.
The NHC wrote on its advisory page about Milton, "Devastating hurricane-force winds are expected along portions of the west coast of Florida, where a Hurricane Warning is in effect. Milton is forecast to remain a hurricane while it crosses the Florida Peninsula, and life-threatening, hurricane-force winds, especially gusts, are expected to spread inland across the peninsula. Preparations to protect life and property, including being ready for long-duration power outages, should be rushed to completion."
The NHC added, "A large area of destructive storm surge, with highest inundations of 10 feet or greater, is expected along a portion of the west-central coast of the Florida Peninsula. If you are in the Storm Surge Warning area, this is an extremely life-threatening situation, and you should evacuate as soon as possible if ordered by local officials."
There will also be heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding, the NHC warned, which could also be life-threatening. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told residents on Monday during an interview with CNN that if they don't evacuate amid the mandatory evacuation orders, they're almost certain to die.
"This is literally catastrophic, and I can say without dramatization whatsoever — if you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you're gonna die," Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told CNN. "Anyone who was born and raised in the Tampa Bay area has never seen anything like this."
Drone and helicopter footage showed Interstate 75 and other highways packed with vehicles racing to get out of the area to avoid the impact of the storm — backing up traffic, which was at a standstill.
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