But the storm was not expected to surpass tropical-storm strength before curving out to sea on Wednesday.
Advertisement
The depression’s maximum sustained winds early Monday are near 35 miles per hour (55 kph) with some strengthening expected during the next two days.
But the hurricane center on Tuesday took the unusual step of issuing hurricane and tropical storm watches for portions of Florida’s Gulf coast. “A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Anclote River to Indian Pass”. Forecasters continue to expect the depression to become a tropical storm later Wednesday.
The storm would be moving over very warm water with moderate wind shear, and that “reasonably favorable environment” is why the hurricane center is staying with a hurricane watch for the coast, even though the system is still a depression just over a day from landfall. Hermine was forecast to make landfall Thursday night or Friday morning along the northwest coast of Florida.
Heavy rains of up to 5 inches were expected in some areas.
Isolated tornadoes are also possible late tonight into Thursday morning, mainly across central Florida.
The National Hurricane Center forecasts the system will turn and move toward the Northeast and along the East Coast and back out into the Atlantic Ocean by Friday evening.
All residents and visitors from the central and northeastern Gulf Coast to the coastal Carolinas should continue to monitor the progress Tropical Depression Nine and review what preparations are needed if a strong tropical storm threatens.
At this time, there are no tropical watches or warnings in effect for the WTOC viewing area. A break in the rain before more showers were expected also brought families out at midday.
“We’re not anxious about the storm so much unless they say there’s something to worry about”, said Joe Walker of Markham, Va., who had the beach near Rodanthe to himself, along with his family, as many headed inland, the Associated Press reported.
The last hurricane to hit Florida was Hurricane Wilma in October 2005. Winds need to reach 39 miles per hour for the system to be upgraded to a tropical storm. He said storm surge of 8 to 10 feet damaged docks and flooded coastal roads. The system was about 75 miles east of Cape Hatteras and was moving to the northeast at 5 mph.
Advertisement
National Weather Service forecasts called for mostly sunny weather on Saturday and sunny skies on Sunday and Monday.
