Tropical Storm Eta prepares to crash into Gulf Coast
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — South Florida is still feeling the effects of its brush with Tropical Storm Eta, even as the storm threatens the Gulf Coast.
In fact, most of the peninsula could be affected by the storm’s 70 mph winds, just 4 mph below hurricane status.
Eta was just 45 miles west of St. Petersburg and 55 miles west of Tampa at 7 p.m. Eastern time, and was moving north at 12 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Forecasters expected it to hover just offshore of the west-central coast overnight before cutting across the state Thursday, so even the east coast from Daytona Beach to Georgia could see tropical storm conditions over the next 48 hours.
Gov. Ron DeSantis expanded his state of emergency declaration to add counties from the Gulf Coast and north-central Florida to the list of counties already added from the storm’s initial impact on South Florida. It now includes Alachua, Broward, Citrus, Collier, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hendry, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota and Sumter counties.
President Donald Trump approved DeSantis’ request for a federal declaration of emergency, freeing up money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The federal aid will be available in Alachua, Citrus, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hernando, Hillsborough, Levy, Manatee, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota and Sumter counties, a FEMA news release said.
South Florida spent the better part of Wednesday under a variety of warnings and watches, including severe weather advisories and tornado warnings in Broward and Palm Beach counties.
On the Gulf Coast, tropical storm warnings were in effect for Bonita Beach to Suwannee River, forecasters said. Eta’s tropical-storm-force winds stretch out over 115 miles.
Tampa International Airport suspended flights beginning at 3 p.m. Wednesday. Flights were scheduled to resume at noon Thursday.
Eta has a dangerous storm surge of up to 5 feet that could occur anywhere from Bonita Beach to Steinhatchee River, including Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor, forecasters said. The area is under a storm surge warning.