A major hurricane expected to develop on the Gulf Coast could hit Florida by the middle of next week as a Category 2 storm, according to forecasters. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has designated the system in the central Caribbean Sea as Tropical Depression 19.

Lots of factors in play but Tropical Storm Sara is expected to form this week and could become a major hurricane threatening the US next week.

The NHC said Wednesday it is tracking a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea that could become a tropical depression by the end of the week.