HURRICANE WARNINGS NOW IN EFFECT FOR NW FLORIDA COUNTIES…
CONE OF UNCERTAINTY SHIFTS A BIT BACK TO THE WEST… Maximum sustained winds are now up to 80 mph near the center of deepening Hurricane Michael. The National Hurricane Center forecast continues to indicate that rapid strengthening is not out of the question over the next 48 hours as Michael moves over the very warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico where atmospheric shear will be more relaxed. The 4PM advisory and official “cone of uncertainty” has again been nudged a bit farther to the west, including more of our local area in south Alabama and northwest Florida. There is a chance that will have to adjust potential impacts for our area over the next few hours to account for this new adjustment.
HURRICANE WARNING… The Hurricane Watch has been upgraded to a Hurricane Warning and is in effect from the Alabama-Florida border eastward to the Suwanee River. The following counties are included in a Hurricane WARNING in northwest Florida: Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Escambia [FL]. Just to our east, Walton, Bay, Gulf, Franklin, Calhoun [FL], Liberty, Jackson [FL], Washington [FL], and Holmes counties are included in the Hurricane Warning. Hurricane conditions will be possible in the warning area within 36 hours. This hurricane warning includes places like Pensacola, Milton, Navarre, Gulf Breeze, Pensacola Beach, Opal Beach, Mary Esther, Destin, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville, Eglin AFB, Panama City, Port St. Joe, Apalachicola, Mexico Beach, Carrabelle, St. George Island, Eastpoint, Tyndall AFB, Laguna Beach, Rosemary Beach, and Seaside.
HURRICANE WATCH… A Hurricane Watch has been issued from the Alabama/Florida border
westward to the Mississippi/Alabama border. This includes Mobile and Baldwin counties.
TROPICAL STORM WARNING… A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued from the Alabama/Florida border westward to the Mississippi/Alabama border, including Mobile and Baldwin counties. Tropical storm conditions will be possible, especially near the coastline in the next 36-48 hours.
I’ll have more updates over the next few hours.