Florida governor declares state of emergency as coming heavy rain might cause ‘major disaster’

Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for much of the state, excluding South Florida, ahead of a disturbance that might strengthen into a tropical depression. Forecasters are warning to expect heavy rain and floods even if the storm fails to form into a depression.

DeSantis signed an executive order that focuses on preparing resources for a possible “major disaster” in 54 of the state’s 67 counties in North, Central and Southwest Florida. All South Florida counties, with the exception of Monroe County, are not under the emergency order.

“As Governor of Florida, I am responsible to meet the dangers presented to the State of Florida and its people by this emergency,” the order reads.

8 pm EDT Aug 1: A tropical depression is likely to form over the Straits of Florida or eastern Gulf of Mexico near Florida this weekend. Regardless of development, heavy rains could cause flash flooding across portions of Florida, Cuba, and the Bahamas through the weekend.… pic.twitter.com/ixODVpCSjj

— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) August 1, 2024

The state of emergency was triggered because of a tropical wave, identified as Invest 97L, being tracked by the National Hurricane Center.

Forecasters said the wave is producing a large area of showers and thunderstorms over Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, the southeastern Bahamas and the adjacent waters of the southwestern Atlantic and northeastern Caribbean Sea.

It has the potential of developing into a tropical depression this weekend or early next week over the eastern Gulf of Mexico near Florida as environmental conditions become friendlier for storm formation, the hurricane center said.

Here's who could see heavy rain as this storm continues to slowly develop: https://t.co/jTH7oEuPKL

— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) August 1, 2024

As of Thursday afternoon, the hurricane center gave the wave a 30% shot of forming into a depression in the next two days and a 70% shot during the next week.

The region is also in store for heavy rains that could cause severe flooding, partly because of the tropical wave.

Gov. Ron DeSantis put 54 of 67 Florida counties in a state of emergency ahead of a storm that could become the first "significant threat" in what is expected to be a violent hurricane season. https://t.co/C9CcInWzNZ

— The Palm Beach Post (@pbpost) August 1, 2024

In the emergency order, DeSantis said some regions of Florida might see at least 12 inches of rain in the next seven days, resulting in “flash flooding, river flooding, coastal flooding, erosion and gusty winds.”

The severe weather could damage “critical infrastructure,” such as highways, bridges, airports, schools, hospitals and power grids, the order said.