Today, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order (EO) 24-157, amending EO 24-156 to include seven additional counties under a state of emergency due to the impending threat of Potential Tropical Cyclone Four. This amendment follows the initial declaration made on August 1, 2024.
The National Hurricane Center upgraded Invest 97L to Potential Tropical Cyclone Four at 11:00 AM EDT on August 2, 2024. The cyclone is currently located 360 miles southeast of Key West, Florida. Watches and warnings have been issued for parts of the southern Florida Peninsula with potential extensions along the Florida Gulf Coast.
The cyclone is projected to move over Cuba today, cross the Florida Straits on Saturday, and approach or move over the west coast of Florida from Saturday night through Sunday night. It is expected to develop into a tropical depression on Saturday and intensify into a tropical storm by Saturday night.
There remains a significant threat of heavy rainfall across much of Florida, with forecasts predicting widespread rainfall totals between four and eight inches and locally higher amounts exceeding twelve inches starting as early as Saturday.
Governor DeSantis stated that an amendment to Executive Order 24-156 was necessary to support recovery efforts and those affected by this disaster.
Under EO 24-157, the state of emergency now includes Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Glades, Gulf,
Hamilton,
Hardee,
Hendry,
Hernando,
Highlands,
Hillsborough,
Holmes,
Jackson,
Jefferson,
Lafayette,
Lake,
Lee,
Leon,
Levy,
Liberty,
Madison,
Manatee,
Marion,
Monroe,
Nassau,
Okaloosa
Okeechobee
Orange
Osceola
Pasco
Pinellas
Polk
Putnam
Santa Rosa
Sarasota
Seminole
St. Johns
Sumter
Suwannee
Taylor
Union
Volusia
Wakulla
Walton
Washington counties.
All other provisions of EO 24-156 remain in effect.