Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Thursday declaring a state of emergency for parts of Florida ahead of potential landfall of Invest 97L.
The governor declared the following counties under a state of emergency:
Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa, Orange, Osceola, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton and Washington.
The WPTV First Alert Weather team is monitoring Invest 97L.
The tropical wave is producing a large area of disorganized showers and thunderstorms over Hispaniola and the southeastern Bahamas.
The wave is expected to move west-northwestward near or over Cuba on Friday and then over the Straits of Florida Friday night or Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said.
Environmental conditions are expected to be conducive for additional development and a tropical depression is likely to form this weekend over Florida.
Parts of Palm Beach County are under a “slight” risk of excessive rainfall, the second lowest tier, while the rest of our viewing area is under a “marginal” risk, the lowest tier.
Parts of our area could pick up two to five inches of rainfall over the coming days.
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