MIAMI, Florida – NOAA’s National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida issued a Public Advisory at 11 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, August 31, 2016, due the presence of Tropical Depression 9 that is expected to become a tropical storm or hurricane and make landfall on Florida.
A Hurricane Watch has been issued for the Florida Gulf coast from the Anclote River to Indian Pass. A Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for the Florida Gulf coast west of Indian Pass to the Walton/Bay County line.
A Tropical Storm Watch has also been issued for the United States east coast from Marineland, Florida to Altamaha Sound, Georgia.
A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous.
A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours.
A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.
Interests along the United States east coast from Georgia through the Carolinas should monitor the progress of this system.
Former Invest 99L, now Tropical Depression Nine, is located about 415 miles southwest of Tampa, Florida, and is nearly stationary.
NHC forecasters believe that T.D. 9 will turn north-northeastward later today, and a turn toward the northeast with increasing forward speed is expected on Thursday. On the forecast track, the center of the tropical cyclone will approach the northwest Florida coast in the warning area on Thursday afternoon.
Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h), with higher gusts. Some strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours, and the depression could become Tropical Storm Hermine later today.
Tropical Depression 9 is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 5 to 10 inches over the Florida peninsula through Friday. Isolated maximum amounts of 15 inches are also possible in Florida.
Isolated tornadoes are possible late tonight into Thursday morning mainly across central Florida. A few tornadoes are possible Thursday afternoon into Thursday night over north Florida and southeast Georgia.
Will Tropical Depression 9 Become A Possible Hurricane Hermine That Hits Florida?
Spaghetti models are in general agreement that Tropical Storm Hermine’s projected path will make a northeastern turnin the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday.
Most intensity models keep Hermine at tropical storm strength through the rest of the week. However, a few intensity models predict that Hermine will become a Category 1 Hurricane by Thursday before making landfall on Florida.
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center forecasts that the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through November 30, will be the most active hurricane season in four years. 
