Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order Tuesday, Oct. 6, declaring a state of emergency for 25 counties in the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend region after a tropical depression formed in the Gulf that afternoon. The system strengthened Wednesday morning and is now Tropical Storm Isaias.
The affected counties include Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Leon, Wakulla and Taylor, among others. The order allows the Florida Division of Emergency Management to stage preparedness resources, according to the governor’s office. Resources will be staged in Tallahassee and the Santa Rosa area.
Storm forecast
As of the 11 p.m. advisory, the storm was about 460 miles south-southwest of the Mouth of the Mississippi River, moving east-northeast at 9 mph with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph. The National Hurricane Center forecasts a northeastward turn. Hurricane and storm surge watches have been issued for portions of the northern Gulf Coast.
Tropical-storm-force winds could reach Florida’s Big Bend region as early as Thursday night or Friday morning, and the storm may become a Category 1 hurricane as early as Thursday night.
Residents should review their disaster plans and stock hurricane supply kits, DeSantis said. More preparation information is available at FloridaDisaster.org.
