The storm now has sustained winds of 45 miles per hour and it could be near hurricane strength by the time it makes landfall, the advisory says. Hermine now carries sustained winds of 65 miles per hour, and is moving 6 to 12 miles per hour toward Florida.
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A hurricane warning was in effect for Florida’s Big Bend from the Suwannee River to Mexico Beach. Forecasters downgraded Hurricane Madeline to a tropical storm as the system veered past Hawa. Fla., to the South Santee River in SC.
Tropical Storm Hermine, in the Gulf of Mexico, is growing stronger as it approaches the Florida coast, the National Hurricane Center says.
No watches or warnings have been issued for Central Florida.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
Forecasters have been cautioning those along the coast not to focus exclusively on the point where Hermine makes landfall.
Hermine was also a bit of a lopsided storm, with much of its worst weather on its eastern side.
Hermine is located about 280 miles south-southwest of Apalachicola, FL. Tropical storm conditions also are possible in Pinellas County Thursday and Thursday night. There is a danger of life-threatening inundation within the next 36 hours, the hurricane center said.
Hurricane Gaston, out in the Atlantic, is bearing down on the Azores, and a number of watches and warnings have been issued for that island chain.
Storm surge flooding in some areas along the Gulf Coast could reach up to 8 feet.
The storm has been bringing a lot of rain across the Florida Peninsula since the past weekend.
In addition, tropical storm-force winds are possible inland over parts of north Florida, spreading into southeast Georgia and the coastal Carolinas.
USA military installations on the East Coast could start experiencing rough weather by Friday. We can expect heavy rain in Georgia and the Carolinas. By Friday morning, Hermine will likely be near Jacksonville, Florida. The tornado risk depends upon the track of the storm.
As for Hurricane Gaston, it’s expected to lose hurricane intensity by early Friday. Crews are already checking and clearing drains, with special attention given to areas prone to flooding.
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Unsafe rip currents, high seas and minor coastal flooding threaten an even larger area of Florida’s coast. The path will take it along the Carolina coast Saturday.
