TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order Tuesday issuing a state of emergency for 25 Florida counties ahead of Tropical Depression Nine.
The counties included are: Baker, Bay, Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Walton, Wakulla, and Washington.
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“Today, I signed an Executive Order issuing a state of emergency ahead of potential impacts from Tropical Depression 9. This order will allow the Florida Division of Emergency Management to stage critical preparedness resources and ensure Florida is ready to respond,” DeSantis said.
The governor urged Floridians to make disaster plans and check hurricane supplies.
The current forecast indicates a tropical storm or hurricane could make landfall somewhere along the central Gulf Coast later this week, the governor said in a Tuesday statement.
“Impacts are expected to extend beyond the point of landfall, with heavy rainfall, strong winds, coastal flooding and isolated tornadoes possible across North Florida,” the statement said. “Additional precipitation could further saturate soils and increase the potential for flash flooding following the state’s recent significant rainfall.”