Is a hurricane headed for Florida? Forecasters say brace for torrential rain.

A developing storm in the Gulf of Mexico promises to bring heavy, potentially flooding rain to Florida starting Sunday and lasting into much of next week.

Forecasters still aren't sure yet if the system will become a named tropical storm, or even potentially a low-end hurricane. But regardless of tropical (or subtropical) development, locally heavy rains are forecast to occur over portions of the Florida Peninsula late this weekend into next week, the National Hurricane Center said.

"While the exact track and intensity of the feature unfolding in the gulf have yet to be determined, Florida will bear the brunt this time around," AccuWeather chief on-air meteorologist Bernie Rayno said. "At this time, the intensity will range from a sprawling tropical rainstorm to perhaps a strike from a more compact, full-blown hurricane."

Forecasters are primarily worried about rain at the moment.

Many inches to a foot or more of rain may fall in some locations, with the most rainfall likely to be from Interstate 4 south to the Keys, according to AccuWeather. Some isolated locations could get up to 30 inches of rain, AccuWeather predicts. Many spots are forecast to pick up as much as 10-15 inches of rain, the National Weather Service said.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/weather/2024/10/04/hurricane-forecasters-track-rainy-system-heading-for-florida/75511630007/

Looks like I won't need to use the lawn sprinklers next week.