Tropical Storm Debby forms in the Gulf near Florida; latest path, hurricane watches, warnings

Tropical Storm Debby formed in the Atlantic Saturday afternoon over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico and is expected to become a hurricane making landfall in Florida, the National Hurricane Center said. 

The storm has now prompted hurricane warnings for portions of the Gulf Coast of Florida as it makes it's way closer to the Sunshine state.   

Central Florida will primarily be impacted by flooding. Rain is expected to be between rainfall with totals around 4-6", with some spots seeing totals as high as 8". The risk of tornadoes also goes up as Sunday progresses.

For the latest live updates from the National Hurricane, the FOX 35 Storm Team and emergency management, continue below:

Tropical Storm Debby: Live forecast updates

9:20 p.m.

Governor Ron DeSantis is slated to hold a press conference in Tallahassee on Sunday morning, according to a media advisory. He will hold the press conference with Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Keving Guthrie.  You can stream the press conference here

8:30 p.m.

The Weather Prediction Center has made its latest rainfall projection.

5 p.m. 

Tropical Storm Debby formed about 100 miles west southwest of Key West, Florida with 40 mph maximum sustained winds. The storm is moving at 15 mph. 

The system is expected to continue moving through the northwest near 15 mph through Saturday night, followed by a northward turn on Sunday and a slower northeastward motion on Sunday night, the NHC said. 

The center of Tropical Storm Debby is forecast to move across the southeastern and eastern Gulf of Mexico Saturday night and into Sunday, making landfall on the Florida coast late Sunday night or Monday as a hurricane

Tropical Storm Debby path, track

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Hurricane watch, tropical storm watch, storm surge warnings in effect

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A hurricane warning is in effect for: 

  • The Florida Gulf coast from the Suwannee River to the Ochlockonee River

A hurricane watch is in effect for:

  • Florida coast west of the Ochlockonee River to Indian Pass
  • Florida coast east of the Suwannee River to Yankeetown

A tropical storm warning is in effect for:

  • The Florida Keys west of the Seven Mile Bridge including the Dry Tortugas
  • West coast of the Florida peninsula from south of the Suwannee River to East Cape Sable

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:

  • The Florida Keys north of the Seven Mile Bridge to the Channel 5 Bridge
  • The Florida coast west of Indian Pass to Mexico Beach

A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for

  • Aripeka northward to Indian Pass

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for:

  • Bonita Beach northward to Aripeka, including Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor

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