NOAA / Via AP Photo
Florida Governor Rick Scott on Thursday issued a safety advisory ahead of Hurricane Hermine, adding that some residents should expect surges exceeding six feet and rainfall reaching as high as 10 inches.
The National Hurricane Center upgraded Hermine from tropical storm status to a level one hurricane on Thursday. It is expected to make landfall tonight.
“At this time, we expect storm surge of upwards of six feet in some parts of our state,” Gov. Scott said in a statement Thursday. “We also anticipate total rainfall amounts of five to 10 inches of over portions of Northwest Florida and isolated tornadoes.”
John Raoux / AP Photo
The storm has already rattled some parts of the state, having “sustained winds of 45 mph,” according to Scott. Many Floridians have begun to stack sandbags outside their homes and stock up on necessities like food, bottled water, and batteries.
Scott added that Hermine is expected to gain strength 36 hours after it touches down.
Florida Division of Emergency Management director Bryan Koon said it is “critically important for residents along the Gulf Coast and Big Bend to prepare and have a plan.”
He encouraged residents in potentially affected areas to “avoid driving through flooded areas, monitoring local news stations for storm updates and evacuation notices, and seek shelter during severe weather.”
Scott said he would closely monitor the hurricane from the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee and provide additional updates on Friday.
Hurricane Warning Issued As Storms Take Aim At Florida And Hawaii
from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/2bHosDv
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