State of Emergency in Florida: When could the tropical storm hit land? Can it become a hurricane?
Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for much of Florida’s Gulf Coast due to a weather system developing in the Yucatan Channel.
The peak of hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin is still two weeks away but there has been a burst of storm activity over the past week. Four named storms developed over a period of 39 hours, a record for the most in the shortest time span. Now another storm is brewing that could threaten the Gulf Coast.
Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for much of Florida’s Gulf Coast due to the weather system developing in the Yucatan Channel. Currently called Tropical Depression 10 it could develop into a named tropical storm as soon as Sunday building up to a hurricane by Tuesday.
You may be interested in: What should an emergency kit have in case of a hurricane?
State of Emergency in Florida: When could the tropical storm hit land?
Tropical Depression 10 has been mostly stationary between the Yucatan peninsula and western Cuba where forecasters are warning of possible flash flooding and landslides. The lack of movement is mainly due to Hurricane Franklin currently churning off the east coast of the Bahamas.
However, as Franklin moves northeast out into the Atlantic, TD 10 will begin to move north. How fast it moves north will help determine how much strength the storm can gain from the extremely warm waters in its forecast path before making landfall. Another factor though, wind shear, could limit its ability to intensify.
Most models are predicting that it will become a strong tropical storm or Category 1 hurricane by Tuesday with an outlier predicting it could develop into a Category 3. Landfall is expected between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning with the forecast path cone centered over the Big Bend. Despite this the National Weather Service warns that hazardous conditions can occur outside the cone.
The state of emergency is in place for 33 counties in the state. Floridians can expect periods of heavy rainfall and gusty winds. As well hazardous marine and beach conditions could be possible.
Distribution sites for free sandbags in Tampa Bay will open on Sunday and additional locations in St Petersburg, which has sites open year round, will open on Sunday and Monday.