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Tropical storm Fred hits Florida coast with Tropical Depression Grace right behind

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On Sunday, a tropical storm warning went into effect for the majority of the Florida Panhandle, as Tropical Storm Fred hit the coast.

The National Weather Service declared Fred to be a tropical storm early Sunday morning and predicted up to a foot of rain in some parts of Florida. Tropical Depression Grace could be worse, they warned, before it was “demoted” to a tropical depression on Monday. AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty said “Indications point towards Grace tracking slightly farther to the north compared to Fred, so places like the U.S. … could endure greater impacts compared to Fred.”

Douty had also warned that if Grace maintain[ed] its current trajectory, it would cause heavy rain and strong winds in different areas of the Southeast. By Monday afternoon, Fred had made landfall in the panhandle of Florida. Tropical Depression Grace and Tropical Depression 8 caused storm watches in Haiti and Jamaica.

This comes after Fred hit the Dominican Republic and Haiti last week. Hundreds of thousands of people lost power and water in the two countries and Haiti also sustained a magnitude 7.2 earthquake, making flooding and displacement worse. At least 700 people have died.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency in 23 of Florida’s 67 counties. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced officials were monitoring Fred’s progress and told residents to be watchful. Parts of Georgia and the western Carolinas may receive 3-6 inches of rain as a result of the storms.

ARTICLE: RITA VOGT

MANAGING EDITOR: CARSON CHOATE

PHOTO CREDITS: TRIBDEM.COM

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