“That’s why we want everyone to stay safe, prepare now”, Scott said.
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The two tropical depressions off the East and Gulf coasts this week could become the 8th and 9th named storms of the season in the next two days.
On Wednesday, Governor Rick Scott issued Executive Order 16-205 declaring a state of emergency in 42 counties within the state of Florida in preparation for Tropical Depression Nine.
Tropical storm conditions are expected to start being felt on the coast in the warning area on Thursday afternoon, according to the hurricane center.
It will also bring a lot of rain. Coastal areas of Georgia and the Carolinas are expected to receive storm total rainfall of 4 to 7 inches, with local amounts of 10 inches possible through Saturday morning.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami said the depression is located about 415 miles (665 kilometers) west-southwest of Tampa, Florida, with top sustained winds of 35 mph (55 kph). Winds speeds near the center of the storm could be as strong as 60 miles per hour which combined with heavy rain could cause some trees to come down.
Florida residents from Tampa to Tallahassee are encouraged to watch the system closely.
Coastal surge as high as 6 feet could hit from Gulf to Pasco counties, the hurricane center said. Drier air should move in beyond the storm, helping the sun to dominate the area. The storm is forecast to cross over northern Florida as a strong tropical storm and the move along the coast of SC during the day on Friday as a strong tropical storm. The forecaster said any shift in the storm’s forecast track could mean it would hit land.
WUSA’s Chief Meteorologist Topper Shutt continues to watch tropical depression’s 8 and 9, which he says could bring heavy rain and rip currents to Florida over Labor Day weekend.
The County of Hawaii sent residents an alert about the hurricane’s dangers, including heavy rains that could lead to mudslides, as well as possibly damaging ocean swells. It has maintained a maximum wind speed of 40 miles per hour as it creeps very slowly north at 2 miles per hour.
A tropical storm watch is in effect for the southern half of Georgia’s 100-mile coast and a stretch of north Florida’s Atlantic region.
Hawaii remains under the threat of two hurricanes, including one forecast to impact the Big Island Wednesday night.
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The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, but this year’s first hurricane, Alex, formed in January in an unusual weather event.
