Tropical Storm Michael is expected to hit the ground like a hurricane along the US Gulf Coast this week.(Photo: National Hurricane Center)

The 2018 hurricane season is not over yet.

Tropical Storm Michael formed on Sunday morning in the Caribbean Sea and is expected to turn into a hurricane in the next few days. National Hurricane Center said.

It is expected to head straight to the Gulf Coast of Mexico, likely affecting Hurricane Michael Category 1 on Wednesday, the hurricane center announced.

"Heavy rains, high winds, and storm surges will be possible in parts of the northern Gulf Coast in the middle of the week," according to the Hurricane Center.

Before that, the seas will be deepening in the Gulf early this week when the storm will turn north, creating dangers for swimmers and boaters well before the storm, warned AccuWeather.

Florida Governor Rick Scott announced on Sunday that he planned to declare emergency status for Florida Panhandle and Big Bend County counties. . The declaration would free up resources for storm preparation.

"As we continue to monitor the trajectory of this storm northward to Florida, it is essential that our communities have all the resources available to make everyone safe and prepared," said Scott. a statement.

Michael could land as early as Wednesday morning (as planned by the hurricane center) or Thursday Thursday, said Weather Underground meteorologist Jeff Masters.

Once the storm has moved inland, it could be an unwanted extra rain on the Carolinas, which were violently beaten by Florence in September. "The areas hard hit by Florence could be disrupted by ongoing cleanup efforts or a new flood depending on the trajectory of the storm," said Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist at AccuWeather.

Tropical storm warnings have been posted in western Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula in northeastern Mexico, including Cancun, weather.com has reported.

It is possible that up to the west of the country, it rains up to a maximum of rain, which could "lead to flash floods and threatening landslides for life in mountainous areas. ", warned the center of the hurricane.

Michael is the 13th tropical storm or hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season.

Contribute: The Associated Press

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