The forecast cone is currently east of Santa Rosa County, with projected landfall in the area of Apalachicola, near Florida’s big bend.
The National Hurricane Center said in its 10 AM CT update that the disturbance is projected to strengthen near hurricane strength when it reaches the far northwestern Caribbean Sea on Tuesday night. The storm will then intensify while it moves northward over the eastern Gulf of Mexico.
“It could be a major hurricane when it reaches the northeastern Gulf Coast on Thursday. There is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge and damaging hurricane-force winds along portions of the northern and northeastern Gulf Coast, including the Florida Panhandle and portions of the Florida west coast,” the NHC said.
The hurricane center also warned that it’s too soon to specify specific locations and the magnitude of impacts.
