Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order Saturday declaring a state of emergency exists in 33 counties due to threats posed by Invest 93L.
“I signed an Executive Order issuing a state of emergency out of an abundance of caution to ensure that the Florida Division of Emergency Management can begin staging resources and Floridians have plenty of time to prepare their families for a storm next week,” DeSantis said Saturday in a news release. “I encourage Floridians to have a plan in place and ensure that their hurricane supply kit is stocked.”
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According to Local 10 Hurricane Specialist and Storm Surge Expert Michael Lowry, an area of low pressure between Cuba and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula – designated Invest 93L by the National Hurricane Center – has steadily organized since Friday and is expected to become a tropical depression or storm by late Saturday or Sunday.
Lowry said Forecast models have come into better agreement with a strengthening storm system – likely a tropical storm or hurricane – approaching Florida’s Gulf Coast by next Tuesday into Wednesday. Residents along the eastern Gulf from southwest Florida to coastal Alabama should closely follow the forecasts into next week.
Executive Order 23-171 states the developing system could affect portions of Florida’s Gulf Coast and areas still recovering from last year’s hurricanes Ian and Nicole.
The full list of counties is as follows:
- Alachua County
- Bay County
- Calhoun County
- Charlotte County
- Citrus County
- Columbia County
- DeSoto County
- Dixie County
- Franklin County
- Gadsden County
- Gilchrist County
- Gulf County
- Hamilton County
- Hardee County
- Hernando County
- Hillsborough County
- Jefferson County
- Lafayette County
- Lee County
- Leon County
- Levy County
- Liberty County
- Madison County
- Manatee County
- Marion County
- Pasco County
- Pinellas County
- Polk County
- Sarasota County
- Sumter County
- Suwannee County
- Taylor County
- Wakulla County
If you need guidance on how to prepare for a hurricane or tropical storm, visit floridadisaster.org/planprepare.
Read the executive order here: