Tropical Storm Fred is expected to bring heavy rainfall and a dangerous storm surge along the coast of Florida’s Panhandle as Tropical Depression Grace and newly formed Tropical Depression 8 prompted storm watches in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Bermuda.
Tropical Storm Fred was 90 miles south-southeast of Apalachicola, Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center. An advisory Monday morning said Fred brought sustained winds of 50 mph and was moving north at about 9 mph.
It is expected to make landfall near Panama City on Monday evening. Tropical storm and storm surge warnings were in effect for parts of the Florida Panhandle. 10 million people are under flash flood watches across parts of the Florida Panhandle, Georgia and southeast Alabama.
The Florida Keys and southern Florida should brace for 3 to 5 inches of rain, and Florida’s Big Bend and Panhandle should expect 4 to 8 inches, with isolated spots possibly getting more than a foot of rain.
Parts of Alabama, Georgia and the western Carolinas are due for 3 to 6 inches of rain.
Meanwhile, the National Hurricane Center demoted Grace to a tropical depression as sustained winds fell to 35 mph, which falls below the 39mph tropical storm threshold.
Grace was about 125 miles east-southeast of Port Au Prince, Haiti, and moving west at 15 mph, according to a Monday advisory from the NHC. The entire coasts of the Dominican Republic and Haiti are under storm watch warnings.
Rainfall is forecast to reach 5 to 10 inches through Tuesday, with isolated parts expected to reach a maximum of 15 inches. Heavy rainfall may cause flash flooding and possible mudslides.
Over Cuba, Jamaica, and the Cayman Islands, 2 to 4 inches of rain with isolated maximums of 6 inches are expected through Thursday. Grace is forecast to move into the Gulf of Mexico by Friday.
Farther north, Tropical Depression 8 is forecast to become Tropical Storm Henri on Monday. The system formed about 135 miles east-northeast of Bermuda, prompting a storm watch for the island.
Tropical Depression 8 is traveling south-southwest near 5 mph, sustaining maximum winds at 35 mph and forecast to loop around Bermuda over the next 48 hours.
Tropical storm conditions are anticipated across the island Tuesday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for the Panhandle region. And Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey issued a statement Saturday saying her administration was monitoring the weather and “will be ready to act from the state level if needed,” NBC Miami reported.
Fred previously crossed Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba, where it was shredded before it re-formed.
The National Hurricane Center previously said Grace was causing heavy rainfall in Puerto Rico and warned of flash flooding in the coming days to parts of the Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic.
After an earthquake on Saturday killed more than 1,200 people, Haiti is bracing for the impact of Grace, which is forecast to bring heavy rain and strong wind Monday.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
