The storm is expected to make landfall on Thursday afternoon or early evening along Florida’s Nature Coast, which stretches from Jefferson to Pasco counties.
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The watch means tropical storm conditions are possible within 48 hours from south of Darien, Georgia, to St. Augustine, Florida.
Forecasters predicted the storm would most likely make landfall in the state’s Big Bend or Nature Coast areas as early as Wednesday night or Thursday afternoon, packing winds as strong as 65 miles per hour. Parts of Georgia in yellow are in a Tropical Storm Watch.
As of Wednesday morning, Madeline had winds of 80 miles per hour, making it a Category 1 hurricane.
Tropical Depression 9 has the potential to reach hurricane strength before making landfall sometime later week, state officials said.
Several rounds of showers and storms are expected over the next few days, bringing the possibility of localized flooding.
“If the storm were to come inland we could expect gusty winds and periods of rain”, WMUR Meteorologist Hayley LaPoint said.
Rain, wind and even an isolated tornado will be possible starting by Thursday afternoon.
The coast from Wilmington toward the SC border could see several inches of rain Friday and Friday night, forecasters in the weather service’s Morehead City office said.
“We can not recall a case where three tropical cyclones were directly impacting the U.S.at the same time”, National Hurricane Center spokesman Dennis Feltgen said.
The hurricane center cautioned not to focus on the forecast landfall point alone: “Among other reasons, risky storm surge flooding is likely along the coast well to the east and south of the path of the center”.
Tropical Depression Nine has not been upgraded to a tropical storm, as of the latest update by the National Hurricane Center at 11 p.m.
Check The Palm Beach Post’s interactive storm tracking map.
Drier air and strong upper atmosphere winds are weakening Hurricane Madeline as it approaches Hawaii.
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The storm is centered about 20 miles west of Valdosta, Georgia, and is moving north-northeast near 14 mph. Large waves also attracted surfers from out of town.
