Forecasters expect a hurricane to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday, forcing Gov. Rick Scott to plan preparations Sunday for parts of the state in the path of the storm.
Tropical Storm Michael formed Sunday morning in the Caribbean Sea and is expected to become a hurricane over the coming days, the National Hurricane Center said.
The impacts of the storm could be felt across portions of the northern Gulf Coast, including coastal Alabama and Mississippi.
“Heavy rainfall, wind and storm surge impacts will be possible across portions of the northern Gulf Coast by midweek,” according to the hurricane center.
Here are the 4 PM CDT Key Messages for Tropical Storm #Michael. Latest information at: https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb pic.twitter.com/UrSW8i5zBf
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) October 7, 2018
Scott, a Republican running for Senate, said Sunday that he planned to declare a state of emergency for counties in the Florida Panhandle and the Big Bend area of the state.
Michael is the 13th named tropical storm or hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season, coming weeks after Hurricane Florence hit the Carolinas.
Last year, the trio of Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, and Irma caused a combined $268 billion in damage, according to Moody’s, making it the most expensive hurricane season in decades.
