The type of mosquito that could potentially carry Zika is affected by heavy rain and flooding, which also washes away larvae from small breeding sites such as bird baths and flower pots.
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As of Thursday morning, the National Weather Service in Wilmington has placed New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties under both a flash flood watch and a tropical storm watch in anticipation of Tropical Storm Hermine’s expected arrival on Friday.
Lowndes County Clerk Paige Dukes said Thursday that the Valdosta area was expecting heavy rain and 40- to 45-mph winds as early as 8 p.m. – hours before the storm was expected to strike with its full force. He ordered all state offices in those 51 counties to close by noon Thursday.
Flooding is expected across a wide swath of the Big Bend area, which has a mostly marshy coastline. The city, which is located roughly 35 miles from the coast, has not had a direct hit by hurricane in 30 years. City crews were struggling to keep up with demand for sand with sandbags.
State governor Rich Scott warned that Hermine would be a lethal storm, adding “We’re going to see landfall about 2 am (06:00 UTC)”.
“I’m preparing for a pretty big mess”, he said.
WINDS: Tropical storm-force winds, essentially 40 miles per hour or greater, will be more likely as the storm’s wind field will be in the process of spreading out as it loses its tropical characteristics once it arrives in the Carolinas.
After making landfall, Hermine will track northeastward and impact parts of the Southeast coast into early Saturday.
In Tallahassee, at least 32,000 utility customers were without power as winds and rain lashed the city.
“The center should then move near or over eastern SC on Friday night and near or over eastern North Carolina on Saturday”.
The National Hurricane Center reported at 1:44 a.m. Friday that Hermine had made landfall along the Florida coast just east of St. Marks.
Florida is under a bevy of watches and warnings, and Florida Gov. Rick Scott and Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal have declared states of emergency for their respective states ahead of the storm.
The National Hurricane Center on Wednesday night set the warning from the Suwanee River west to Mexico Beach as Tropical Storm Hermine (her-MEEN) was continuing to strengthen over the Gulf of Mexico.
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for Suwannee River to Mexico Beach.
Residents on some islands and other low-lying, flood-prone areas in Florida were urged to clear out earlier Thursday.
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If it maintains hurricane strength, it would be the state’s first hit from a hurricane since Wilma on October 24, 2005, a record storm-free streak of 3,965 days. Hermine, with 75mph winds at 4pm Thursday, is expected to make landfall with 80mph winds overnight through Friday morning and then continue traveling north-northeastward through the mid-Atlantic States.
