Preparations are underway for the first tropical weather event of the season to potentially impact north Florida.
According to the National Weather Service’s 11 a.m. Friday update, Potential Tropical Cyclone #4 is expected to move into the eastern Gulf, paralleling the west coast of Florida. Most impacts (heavy rain, gusty winds) will be north and east of the center of the storm.
Its exact path remains unknown at this time. However, most of the western Gulf coast and northern Gulf coast of Florida are projected to feel some impact.
Coastal counties like Franklin could start seeing effects as early as Sunday.
Gov. Ron DeSantis has issued a state of emergency for most Florida counties.
Sandbag Locations:
Leon County
Starting Friday, August 2, at 2 p.m., sandbags will be available to the public at the following Leon County locations:
- Leon County's Northeast Branch Library, 5513 Thomasville Road
- Apalachee Regional Park (Solid Waste Management Facility), 7550 Apalachee Parkway
- Fred George Park, 3043 Capital Circle NW
- At the intersection of Oak Ridge Road at Ranchero Road
- Fort Braden Community Park, 15000 Blountstown Hwy
Leon County will staff these sites from dusk to dawn to assist residents in quickly filling sandbags. Sand, bags and ties will be available for public use. Residents are asked to take no more than 15 bags so as to allow others to prepare.
City of Tallahassee
The city of Tallahassee is opening three sandbag fill locations at 2 p.m. today:
- Jack McLean Community Center (700 Paul Russell Road)
- Mike Blankenship Skate Park, (2909 Jackson Bluff Road) and;
- Northwood parcel (1940 N. Monroe Street, near El Jalisco).
Sandbags are limited to 25 bags per household. Sites are self-service, so citizens need to bring shovels to fill bags themselves. Locations will be staffed from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. to replenish sand and bags as needed. The site will be open until the storm threat has passed and it is determined there is no longer a need.
Gadsden County
The Gadsden County Department of Emergency Management and the Gadsden County Department of Public Works have made sandbag operations available for residents from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Sandbags will be available today to the public at the following locations:
- Post Plant Pit off Post Plant Road
- Clark Pit off Edwin Clark Road
Sandbags are limited to 15 bags per household. Citizens need to bring shovels to fill bags themselves. Locations will not be staffed, but crews will monitor and provide additional sand and bags as needed. The site will be open until the storm threat has passed and it is determined there is no longer a need.
For now, the greatest risk is heavy rain and flooding locally on Sunday into Tuesday. The risk of strong storms and isolated tornados are possible. Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday issued a state of emergency for 54 Florida counties ahead of the storm.
This is a developing story.
