At the same time, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami said that another tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico could hit northern Florida as a tropical storm later in the week and possibly head toward the Atlantic coast.
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The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane watch for Florida from Anclote River to Indian Pass.
Meanwhile, Florida’s governor declared a state of emergency in 42 of the state’s counties and joined Jacksonville officials to warn everyone to prepare as the list of storm-related event cancellations increased. The storm system had maximum sustained wind speeds of 35 miles per hour and was moving northeast at 5 miles per hour early Wednesday.
Forecasters think it’ll strengthen as it moves closer to Florida and eventually make landfall as a Tropical Storm late Thursday night into early Friday morning.
As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, Hermine is centered about 350 miles west-southwest of Tampa, Florida and is drifting at 7 mph toward the north-northeast. Petersburg area of Florida were hauling out sandbags Monday to offer residents amid predictions of heavy rains. Packing heavy rain, the storm could also push risky storm surges inland if it arrives at high tide. An area to the west of Indian pass on the Panhandle is under a tropical storm watch. Storms with temperatures that cold are high in the troposphere and NASA research has shown they have the ability to generate heavy rain.
“We are still expecting Tropical Depression 9 to become a tropical storm, but now because of the wind shear it is facing it has not yet been upgraded”, Storm Team 8 Meteorologist Julie Phillips said. Water levels won’t fall much during the subsequent low tide because of the expected storm surge, Austin said. But by late Tuesday, many tourists had chose to courageous the weather. “We will continue to do all we can to keep our families and visitors safe and informed as this storm approaches our state”, said Scott.
In nearby Frisco, whipped-up waves attracted out-of-town surfers.
Localized flooding is possible, Smith said, but for most of Central Florida it will be “much needed rain” after an abnormally dry summer. But the U.S. National Hurricane Center says strengthening is forecast and the depression is expected to become a tropical storm later in the day.
At Ride The Wind Surf Shop on Ocracoke Island, owner Bob Chestnut said he canceled all of his kayak tours and other rentals for Tuesday because he was concerned about the wind.
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Tropical storm force wind gust will also be possible, with sustained Tropical Storm winds for the southeastern counties including Lowndes, Lanier, Clinch, Berrien, Atkinson, Coffee, Brooks and Colquitt.
