Florida - Friday August 2, 2024: The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has now upgraded that tropical wave named Invest 97L to Potential Tropical Cyclone 4.
In a Livestream briefing this morning on the NHC Facebook page the Director of the National Hurricane Center Mike Brennan said the system is centered over eastern Cuba and it is slowly organizing. It is not yet a tropical depression, but it is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm that will be named Debbie.
There will be "wide-spread impacts" said Brennan which include heavy rainfall and the possibility of coastal flooding as well as flash and urban flooding.
The main threat to Florida appears to be along the southern and western shores of the Peninsula. Tropical Storm Watches and Warnings are now in effect for the Florida Keys and along the Florida west coast.
The Governor's State of Emergency declaration on Thursday in 54 of the state's 67 counties does not include any of the Treasure Coast or Space Coast Counties. Okeechobee County however has declared a local State of Emergency.
Still, the National Weather Service Office in Melbourne advises that heavy rainfall is also expected in East-Central Florida, along with possible flooding, and residents in our region are advised to continue to closely monitor the forecast over the coming days for updates on this system.