“The depression is forecast to quickly intensify while it moves eastward to northeastward across the Gulf of Mexico and be at or near major hurricane strength when it reaches the west coast of the Florida Peninsula mid week. There is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and wind impacts for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning late Tuesday or Wednesday. Residents in these areas should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place, follow any advice given by local officials, and check back for updates to the forecast. Areas of heavy rainfall will impact portions of Florida Sunday and Monday well ahead of the tropical system, with heavy rainfall more directly related to the system expected by later Tuesday through Wednesday.”

“This rainfall brings the risk of flash, urban, and areal flooding, along with minor to isolated moderate river flooding,” says the National Hurricane Center bulletin for Tropical Depression Fourteen.

Yeah this looks like it’s not a joke. Helene needed less open water than this to reach Category 4 strength and the Gulf is not any colder now than it was 10 days ago. Hell it might even be warmer.

Then who knows what it’ll do after that Thursday spot in the Atlantic. God help the Carolinas if it turns back toward land then. Whatever’s going to happen to a region devastated by flooding from one hurricane being hit again two weeks later is almost too terrifying to contemplate.