The National Hurricane Center is watching a tropical system that's crossing Florida from the Atlantic, heading west to the gulf. The center says the storm has the potential to dump heavy rain and cause flash flooding in some places in Florida.
The American Red Cross of South Florida is urging people to prepare, as this could mark the start of an active tropical season.
So what do you think about the tropical threat that could drop five to eight inches of rain, or more, on some Florida locations, according to AccuWeather?
"I think it's too early in the season to get too worried," Linda Farina said. She's a long-time Florida resident, now living in Estero.
The Red Cross is urging people to put together their kits of water, food and copies of important documents. And the organization says people should draw up an evacuation plan: how you'd get out of your neighborhood, and where you would go, if flood waters threaten your home.
"Mother Nature is unpredictable, right," Tiffany Gonzalez of the Red Cross said. "So really that preparedness kit....I encourage my family and friends to have the plan ready ahead of the storm, ahead of the season, hurricane season."
Joseph McCain lives in Lehigh Acres, which has some of the highest elevations in Lee County. He said he has no big worries about this system.
"Sometimes people hear a storm and they go out and buy all the toilet paper," McCain said. "If nothing happens, then, guess what? You're stuck with a bunch of toilet paper!"
Farina fears that by the time monster storms blow up in August through October, people will be tired and may tune out alerts.
"I do think they get storm fatigue, I believe they do," she said. "And when the big one comes, that's when they are not eager to leave their home. And that's when you have tragedy."
Tiffany Gonzalez said the Red Cross is training people to help run shelters. She described it as one of many elements of preparing.
"I am ready for whatever comes myself," she said. "And knowing the team here at the American Red Cross is ready, can put your mind at ease a little bit."
The tropical system is predicted to move into the gulf and then toward Louisiana, after drenching Florida. If it develops into a tropical storm or hurricane, it would be named Dexter.
Mike Walcher is a reporter with WGCU News. He also teaches journalism at Florida Gulf Coast University.