An organizing cluster of storms over the western Caribbean east of Central America is expected to gradually develop into a named storm over the next day or two and could quickly strengthen into a formidable hurricane as it accelerates toward the northeastern Gulf Coast – including parts of the Florida panhandle and Big Bend – by late Thursday into early Friday.

Hurricane Debby hit Florida’s Big Bend area, south of Tallahassee and west of Gainesville, in early August. The storm left Cedar Key, a cluster of small barrier islands, badly battered and flooded, with beach houses severely damaged and at least one R.V. park submerged.