JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order ahead of Potential Tropical Cyclone 9, which declared a state of emergency in 41 Florida counties.
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The order comes as the forecast calls for the cyclone to turn into a tropical depression or tropical storm during the next day or two over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and southeastern Gulf of Mexico.
Further development and strengthening are expected after that and the storm is expected to become Hurricane Helene as it moves north.
According to the state, forecast models indicate that the system will have a vast areal extent, and its impact will likely extend well beyond its center, along the northeast Gulf Coast. Later this week there is expected to be a significant threat of storm surge, coastal flooding and erosion, heavy rainfall and flash flooding, and damaging winds to the Florida Gulf Coast. Due to the impacts of Hurricane Debby, the water tables and riverine levels across North and West-Central Florida remain above normal.
The additional incoming heavy rainfall will likely cause significant riverine flooding for an extended period and the incoming heavy rainfall, flooding, and gusty winds will cause widespread power outages due to fallen trees and powerlines and could damage the operational capability of major interstates, roadways, bridges, airports, schools, hospitals, power grids and other critical infrastructure, according to the order.
Because of the foregoing conditions, which are projected to constitute a major disaster, DeSantis declared a state of emergency in Alachua, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington counties.