TROPICAL STORM MINDY FORMS; WILL MAKE LANDFALL NEAR PORT ST. JOE… The National Hurricane Center has initiated advisories on Tropical Storm Mindy, centered about 80 miles southwest of Port St. Joe, Florida in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Thankfully, this system won’t have much time to strengthen before moving onshore in the Florida Panhandle over the next several hours. More details are below.
LOCAL IMPACTS UPDATE – MINDY… Significant local impacts are not expected in south Alabama or northwest Florida, specifically in areas west of Crestview and Destin. We will continue to have intermittent showers and thunderstorms locally this evening into tonight and potentially even into early Thursday. The greatest chance of rain today is happening in northwest Florida, although we have had a few showers and storms bubble up across south Alabama as well over the last few hours.
WHAT TO EXPECT – SOUTH ALABAMA & N.W. FLORIDA… Rain will continue to be possible in the hours ahead. There is essentially no tornado risk locally in south Alabama or northwest Florida in areas west of Crestview and Destin. Why? Because our local area is already on the western side of this developing tropical system, thus the wind direction is out of the north and off the continent. Rip currents will continue to be possible at the Alabama and northwest Florida beaches over the next 24 hours. Significant local impacts are not expected.
WHAT TO EXPECT – FLORIDA PANHANDLE… We have a lot of folks that watch our local RedZone Weather content in the Florida Panhandle in places like Seaside, Santa Rosa Beach, Freeport, Marianna, Panama City, Port St. Joe, Wewahitchka, Indian Pass, Apalachicola, Blountstown, Tyndall AFB, and surrounding areas. We note there is a low-end tornado risk for these areas this evening into the overnight hours. Please have a way to hear urgent tornado warnings! Heavy rain will continue at times into tonight. Gusty (20-30 mph) winds will be possible near the Florida Panhandle beaches and near St. Joe Bay, Indian Lagoon, Cape San Blas, and Apalachicola Bay tonight into Thursday morning. If you know someone in these communities in the Florida Panhandle, you may want to tag them and let them know what is expected in terms of local impacts there.
TROPICAL STORM WARNING… A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the coast of the
Florida Panhandle from Mexico Beach to Steinhatchee River. This includes Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas, Indian Pass, and Apalachicola.
APP… If you haven’t already, be sure to download the free RedZone Weather app to keep up with all the latest information on the world of weather in south Alabama and northwest Florida. redzoneweather.com/app is the link for the free download. Once you have the app downloaded to your iOS or Android device, be sure to visit the Alerts tab (lower right corner) and tap the large, yellow Alert Settings button to customize the alerts you would like to receive straight from me.
I will have more updates throughout the evening in the RedZone Weather app. Have a nice Wednesday evening!