Despite Rumors, No 3rd Hurricane Currently Approaching Southeast

ATLANTA, GA — Forecasters are dispelling rumors that a third hurricane is on its way to the already-battered Southeast after a social media model falsely shows "Hurricane Nadine" heading for Florida, Georgia and other parts of the region.

The rumor came less than a day after Hurricane Milton forced its way onto shore near Siesta Key, Florida, and pushed itself across the state and into the Atlantic Ocean.

The false map, which WCCB Charlotte meteorologist Kaitlin Wright said has been shared almost 38,000 times, shows "Nadine" following Hurricane Helene's path and making landfall late next week.

Yes, the next hurricane name for the 2024 season is Nadine.

But no, a storm named Nadine is not set to soon arrive, the National Weather Service told Patch.

Though a weakening Hurricane Leslie was sitting in the Atlantic, far off from the U.S., the NWS told Patch no other tropical systems were being monitored in the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico. As of 11 a.m., Leslie was moving west-northwest and was losing power.

Helene landed as a category 4 storm in northern Florida before trekking through Georgia, from south to north, and into Tennessee and the Carolinas.

Florida remained in recovery Thursday after Milton's impact began around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.

"Please only get your information from a trusted source. As soon as I see anything that may be a threat, I promise to immediately let you know," Wright said in a Facebook post, later adding in the comments, "So many people have dropped everything to help others impacted by Helene and Milton. Then you have people like that. It’s horrible."

Michigan Storm Chasers said the viral fake post is "a classic example of misinformation by accounts wanting engagement."

Several other meteorologists in or near the Southeast have shot down the rumor.