TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA — On Friday afternoon, Governor Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency in anticipation of a major storm with hurricane potential making landfall in Florida.
Tropical Depression 9 is currently moving though the Caribbean Sea, where it is about to form a tropical storm. There is risk that it could become a hurricane threat for Florida and the Gulf of Mexico.
Governor DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 24 counties from South Florida to Pasco, Polk, Osceola and Brevard counties. The storm is expected to strengthen over the weekend, and as it tracks near Florida on Tuesday or Wednesday, it could reach hurricane strength, according to the Weather Channel.
“Today, I signed an Executive Order issuing a state of emergency due to the threat of Tropical Depression 9,” Governor DeSantis said in a statement. “This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations. We are coordinating with all state and local government partners to track potential impacts of this storm.”
DeSantis has also requested a federal pre-landfall Emergency Declaration. The state of emergency applies to the following counties:
Brevard
Broward
Charlotte
Collier
DeSoto
Glades
Hardee
Hendry
Highlands
Hillsborough
Indian River
Lee
Manatee
Martin
Miami-Dade
Monroe
Okeechobee
Osceola
Palm Beach
Pasco
Pinellas
Polk
Sarasota
St. Lucie
Follow the Florida Division of Emergency Management on Twitter for updates on the weather situation: https://twitter.com/FLSERT
You can also visit the National Hurricane Center for updated information.
