Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency on Tuesday in 25 counties due to the threat posed by Tropical Depression Nine, which formed in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico and has the potential to develop into a hurricane before the end of the week.
The measure was established by the Executive Order 26-202 and will allow for the early mobilization of emergency resources in anticipation of potential impacts in the northern and northwestern regions of the state.
"I signed an Executive Order declaring a state of emergency in response to the potential impacts of Tropical Depression 9. This order will allow the Florida Division of Emergency Management to deploy critical resources for preparedness and ensure that Florida is ready to respond," stated DeSantis.
The governor also urged residents to take the next few hours to review their emergency plans and complete their hurricane supplies.
"Floridians should take this time to establish emergency plans and ensure that their hurricane supply kits are complete," he noted.
It could become a hurricane on Thursday
The National Hurricane Center (NHC) predicts a sustained strengthening: the system could become a tropical storm during the early hours of Wednesday —when it would be named Isaias— and reach hurricane status on Thursday.
The projected path would take it northward across the Yucatán Peninsula on Thursday and subsequently toward the northern Gulf Coast of the United States, which it could approach on Friday. The NHC urged residents of that region to closely monitor the system's development, as there is still uncertainty regarding its path and final intensity.
Florida mobilizes resources
The Florida State Emergency Response Team (SERT) began mobilizing resources that will be strategically positioned in Tallahassee and the Santa Rosa area to enable rapid deployment if necessary.
Among the prepared supplies are generators, fuel, flood barriers, drinking water, long-lasting food, tarps, and sandbags.
The governor's office warned that the potential effects may extend far beyond the area where the center of the cyclone eventually makes landfall, with heavy rainfall, strong winds, coastal flooding, and isolated tornadoes in northern Florida.
The authorities are also monitoring the risk of flooding as recent rains have already saturated the soil in some areas. Governor DeSantis
The 25 counties included in the declaration are Baker, Bay, Calhoun, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Suwannee, Taylor, Walton, Wakulla, and Washington.
The NHC initially indicated that there were no active watches or coastal advisories, but recommended that those on the northern Gulf coast closely monitor the upcoming bulletins.
The situation had been monitored in Florida even before the formation of the depression, when meteorological authorities warned about the potential development of the system in the Gulf.
Regarding Cuba, the INSMET indicated that Tropical Depression Nine does not pose a direct threat to the Island, although it will continue to monitor its evolution as it moves through the Gulf.
The Atlantic hurricane season remains officially active until November 30, 2026.
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