A storm brewing in the Caribbean is expected to make landfall in Florida as a hurricane.

The likelihood that a tropical weather system building in the Caribbean may expand into a hurricane by Monday and hit Florida around Wednesday is growing.

The system does not yet have a name, but the National Hurricane Center reported Friday morning that a tropical depression, the precursor to a tropical storm, formed around 600 miles east of Jamaica. Meteorologists predict it to rapidly develop this weekend before impacting Cuba late Monday into Tuesday and then barreling north — most likely near Florida's west coast.

When it hits Florida on Tuesday and Wednesday, the storm might be as severe as a Category 2 or 3 hurricane, though the intensity projection remains questionable.

Tropical storm conditions could form over the Florida Keys and South Florida as early as Tuesday.

According to the Hurricane Center, the storm has the potential to cause "severe damage from storm surge, hurricane-force winds, and heavy rainfall." "Residents... should make sure they have a hurricane plan in place and keep an eye on forecast updates throughout the weekend."

Depending on whether this depression or another just west of Africa develops first, the storm might be named Hermine or Ian.

This system seems to be the first hurricane to hit the mainland United States this year, with watches in effect for areas of Florida and the Florida Keys by the end of the weekend.

For the time being, the hurricane is still around 72 hours away from making landfall in Cuba. In anticipation of the storm's arrival, National Weather Service offices in the central and eastern United States are deploying additional weather balloons to collect additional data to enhance predictions.

The current depression

GOES East, a weather satellite operated by NOAA, captured this image of Tropical Depression 9.  (Tropical Tidbits)

The depression was around 500 miles east of Jamaica on Friday morning. Winds were at 35 mph, much below the 39 mph required for the system to be classified as a tropical storm.

Friday morning, an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter reconnaissance aircraft was deployed to fly inside and explore the nascent system.

All of the storminess is pushed to the west of a low-level swirl that has become the system's de facto center of circulation, as seen from space. Wind shear, or a change in wind speed and/or direction with height, is to blame. Because easterly winds get stronger with height, the system is somewhat skewed.

GOES East, a weather satellite operated by NOAA, captured this image of Tropical Depression 9. (Tropical Tidbits)

That shear is caused by the "outflow," or exhaust, from Hurricane Fiona, which is located a few thousand kilometers to the northeast. The tropical depression will be teetering on the edge of development until that shear relaxes on Sunday. However, things will become considerably more favorable for intensification after that.