Gov. declares State

of Emergency in 23

counties for T.S. Isaias

from the News Service of Florida

TALLAHASSEE, FL  – Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for 25 counties in the Panhandle on Tuesday evening, in preparation for Tropical Storm Isaias off the coast of Mexico that could hit the U.S. later in the week.

The system was known as Tropical Depression Nine at the time DeSantis issued the declaration, but it developed into a tropical storm overnight. By Tuesday morning Isaias sat off the eastern coast of Mexico with sustained winds near 40 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The counties included in the emergency declaration are: Baker, Bay, Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Walton, Wakulla and Washington.

“This order will allow the Florida Division of Emergency Management to stage critical preparedness resources and ensure Florida is ready to respond,” DeSantis said in a released statement. “Floridians should take this time to get disaster plans in place and ensure their hurricane supply kit is stocked.”

Some forecasts predict the storm to develop into a hurricane before making landfall on the Gulf Coast on Friday. The National Hurricane Center’s advisory Tuesday morning indicated hurricane watches for the Gulf Coast would likely be issued later in the day.

Much of the Panhandle has already seen large amounts of rain in recent days, up to 9 inches in some areas, “resulting in saturated soils, elevated water levels, overwhelmed drainage systems and an increased potential for flash flooding and riverine flooding,” according to DeSantis’ emergency declaration. Isaias could bring another sustained downpour to the region.

The declaration also warns of high winds and the possibility of tornados in the area spawned by Isaias, even if the storm doesn’t directly hit the state.

“If you have plan outdoors, or plans of any kind, either locally or you are planning to travel west, this is a system that you are going to want to keep up on,” said Mark Wool, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

So far this year, Florida has experienced a relatively calm hurricane season, with only a smattering of systems developing into tropical storms, and none of them threatening the state. No storm has developed into a hurricane, with less than two months left in hurricane season.

“We have not had a hurricane landfall in the U.S. since Milton, right? That would have been late in the 2024 season. So, it’s been a little bit,” Wool said.

– – –

How warm Gulf waters

could influence tropical

activity in Florida this week

from WUSF | By Jessica Meszaros

A tropical depression that formed in the southwestern Gulf on Tuesday is brewing over unusually warm waters for October — temperatures are about 3 degrees to 3.5 degrees higher than average for this time of year.

Shel Winkley, chief meteorologist for Climate Central, said the warm area where this disturbance is located was made 300 to 800 times more likely due to global warming.

ALSO READ: El Niño’s Florida flip: A wetter, stormier winter?

“Some of these ocean temperatures in the western Gulf would be almost virtually impossible without the influence of human-caused climate change,” he said, referring to people burning heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere.

And storms are fueled by these warmer waters. Winkley said it’s important to understand climate change’s fingerprint on weather events, especially when it comes to rapid intensification and how that can impact the way a community plans ahead.

“Maybe it’s a certain category of hurricane, but then we see the storm exceed expectation because of the added warmth that’s been boosted by climate change, and that really decreases our ability to either evacuate or prepare for a storm, and really changes how we interact with the storm altogether,” he said.

Higher surface temperatures also create more moisture because they allow for more evaporation.

“That means more rain-making moisture that’s being loaded into this tropical system. And at that same time, warmer atmospheres hold more moisture,” Winkley said.

“You’ve got this bigger bucket and more water going into it. So, when you have a tropical system like this one that’s forming in the Gulf, what that means is when it brings rainfall, that bucket’s tipping a little bit more, and it’s even tipping faster.”

The system is expected to drop between 4 and 6 inches of rain along the Gulf coast.

Even with this latest activity in the Gulf, it’s been a quiet Atlantic hurricane season so far, which is typical for the El Niño climate pattern we’re in right now.

The phenomenon is when sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean become warmer than average, which actually breaks up storm activity in the Atlantic Ocean by creating more wind shear.

But Winkley said this is likely going to be the strongest El Niño we’ve experienced on record.

“We know that the bedrock that this El Niño was built on are the warmer oceans and the added heat that we as humans have put into the system,” he said.

While the Atlantic might be quieter on the storm front, the Pacific basin has in contrast recorded numerous hurricanes.

“We’re a water planet and weather is tied together all across the globe. So, what’s happening in one part of the world eventually can have an impact on what is or isn’t happening in another part of the globe,” Winkley said.

It’s a good reminder, he added, of how the emissions we release into the atmosphere impact the whole planet.

– – –

Ahead of Isaias, Florida

counties confront heat

and hurricane prep

by Trimmel Gomes, Public News Service

Amid hot nights and climbing heat indexes, Tropical Storm Isaias is expected to become the season’s first hurricane and as the storm strengthens. Florida’s cities and counties are confronting the same question: How do we prepare?

On Oct. 8, Orange County hosted a panel at Rollins College called “From Heat to Hurricanes: Building a More Resilient Orange County.” It’s one of more than 130 Florida Climate Week events across the state.

Carrie Black, chief sustainability and resilience officer for Orange County, said the goal is to help residents understand what is shifting.

“For people to be vigilant, especially with the heat, making sure that you’re staying hydrated, getting air conditioning, shade,” Black outlined. “Partly that awareness that this is a little bit different. Even though it’s Florida and it’s hot, it’s a little bit different and also we’re not getting that kind of reprieve at night.”

Black noted the changes are statewide. This summer, Orange County issued more than 20 heat advisories, and dengue fever has been detected in the region.

“Talk through what we’ve been seeing in trends from some extreme weather events that have occurred in Orange County and with this being a year of El Niño, we’ll be talking about that and what to expect,” Black emphasized.

Florida Climate Week runs through Oct. 11. Orange County is also hosting a climate art gallery, a tree giveaway at Back to Nature Wildlife Refuge’s Owloween event, and wildlife bingo at the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive.

– – –

Red Cross Coordinating

with Emergency Mgt. partners,

positioning resources and

urging residents to prepare

PENSACOLA, FL Oct. 8 — The American Red Cross North and Central Florida Region is preparing to respond as Isaias approaches Florida and is urging residents to take steps now to protect themselves, their families and their homes.

• Know your risk. Determine whether you live in an evacuation zone or an area prone to flooding and know where you would go if you need to leave.
• Build or refresh your emergency kit. Include water, nonperishable food, medications, flashlights, batteries, chargers, important documents and other essentials for everyone in your household.
• Make a plan. Decide how your family will communicate, where you will meet and where you could stay if you need to evacuate.
• Prepare for power outages. Fully charge phones and backup batteries and have flashlights readily available. Avoid using candles because of the fire risk.
• Consider individual needs. Include supplies for children, older adults, people with disabilities or medical needs and pets.
• Stay informed. Monitor trusted weather sources and local emergency management officials for changing conditions, evacuation information and shelter locations.

Views: 107