The depression is moving toward the north near 2 miles per hour. It’s in an environment where it will strengthen and likely become a tropical storm on Wednesday and pick up speed as it heads to the northeast to the northern part of Florida’s west coast.
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Tropical storm conditions are expected to first reach the coast within the warning area by Thursday afternoon, and hurricane conditions are possible over portions of the hurricane watch area beginning Thursday afternoon.
The tropical storm warning, issued Wednesday morning, covers an area from Anclote River to the Walton County-Bay County line.
As of 5 p.m. ET, the storm was about 325 miles south-southwest of Apalachicola, the National Hurricane Center said.
It is then forecast to cross Florida before continuing northeast along the coasts of Georgia and the Carolinas. Sandbags are available for residents around the Tampa Bay area.
National Hurricane Center forecasters said a few of the computer models had upgraded tropical depression nine to hurricane strength near the coast so the decision was made to issue a hurricane watch.
The storm is forecast to hit somewhere along the Big Bend area of Florida on Thursday afternoon either as a strong tropical storm or a weak hurricane. As the storm moves inland, north Florida and southern Georgia could experience tornadoes.
Today there is a high risk of rip currents for all coastal areas, an enhanced risk is expected Thursday and Friday.
From 2005 to 2014, tropical storms and hurricanes resulted in 1,045 fatalities and 177 injuries.
The storm was centered about 70 miles (115 kilometers) southeast of Cape Hatteras on Tuesday night.
Heavy rain, storm surge, high winds and tornadoes are all a concern with the system. The forecaster said any shift in the storm’s forecast track could mean it would hit land. A flash flood watch is in effect extending north of I-20 for Friday. Sumter County could see 3 to 5 inches of rain.
It could be the first Pacific hurricane to make landfall in that state in decades.
Governor Scott said, “Last night, hurricane and tropical storm watches were issued along Florida’s Gulf Coast from Pasco County to Gulf County”. Large waves also attracted surfers from out of town. Foot traffic was sparse.
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Changes in prediction models show a tropical depression in the Gulf of Mexico could move toward SC just in time for the Labor Day weekend.
