The Gulf coast, already facing millions of barrels of oil floating in the sea, is now bracing for the threat of a possible hurricane.

Tropical storm Alex started brewing in the Western Caribbean on Saturday, and could turn into a full blown hurricane. Forecasters are unsure whether the storm will pass over Mexico or go in the direction of the oil spill.

Oil is still gushing from the well where the Deep Water Horizon rig exploded on April 20, killing 11 people. Severe weather could have a serious impact on clean-up activities. US Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen told the Associated Press that a big storm, like tropical storm Alex, could halt BP’s clean up and oil collection activities for as long as two weeks. The company would have to remove its ships from the region and allow oil to flow out into the sea un-tapped during the storm period.

The Atlantic basin sees an average 11 tropical storms, and 6 hurricanes per year. The official Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.