FLORIDA GULF COAST BRACES FOR TROPICAL STORM HERMINE

Tropical depression 9 has strengthened into tropical storm Hermine in the Gulf of Mexico, prompting the extension of a hurricane watch and tropical storm warning westward to Destin on the Florida panhandle. The US National Hurricane Centre said that tropical storm conditions are expected to reach the coast in the warning area on Thursday afternoon. The NHC said the storm will bring 5 to 10 inches over parts of northwest Florida through Friday, with isolated areas seeing 20 inches, as well as life-threatening storm surge for the Florida coast from Aripeka to Indian Pass through early Friday. Hermine is expected to move to the northeast across the Florida panhandle into Georgia and the Carolinas, bringing those states 4 to 8 inches of rain. The storm may also generate isolated tornadoes from central Florida to southeastern Georgia through Thursday.